Diatom

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Diatom \Di"a*tom\ (d[imac]`[.a]*t[o^]m), n. [Gr. dia`tomos cut
     in two. See {Diatomous}.]
     1. (Bot.) One of the {Diatomace[ae]}, a family of minute
        unicellular Alg[ae] having a siliceous covering of great
        delicacy, each individual multiplying by spontaneous
        division. By some authors diatoms are called


        {Bacillari[ae]}, but this word is not in general use.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A particle or atom endowed with the vital principle.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The individual is nothing. He is no more than the
              diatom, the bit of protoplasm.        --Mrs. E. Lynn
                                                    Linton.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  diatom
       n : microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater colonial alga
           having cell walls impregnated with silica