phytophthora

noun

phy·​toph·​tho·​ra

fīˈtäfthərə

1

capitalized : a genus of destructive parasitic fungi (family Pythiaceae) having conidia that usually act as sporangia especially under moist cool conditions and sporangiophores that are simple or branched see late blight, pythiacystis

2

plural -s

a

: any fungus of the genus Phytophthora

b

: a disease (as late blight) caused by such a fungus

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from phyt- + -phthora

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