ANIMALCULE

ANIMAL'CULE, noun [Latin animalculum, animalcula.]A little animal; but appropriately, an animal whose figure cannot be discerned without the aid of a magnifying glass; such as are invisible to the naked eye.

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animalcule. Animalcule, n. a small or little animal, an insect

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An′i‐mal″cule (�), n. [[As if fr. a L. animalculum, dim. of animal.]] 1. 1. A small animal, as a fly, spider, etc. Ray.
2. 2. (Zoöl.) An animal, invisible, or nearly so, to the naked eye. See Infusoria.
☞ Many of the so-called animalcules have been shown to be plants, having locomotive powers something like those of animals. Among these are Volvox, the Desmidiacæ, and the siliceous Diatomaceæ. Spermatic animalcules. See Spermatozoa.