animalcule
noun
an·i·mal·cule
ˌa-nə-ˈmal-(ˌ)kyü(ə)l 
variants
or less commonly animalculum
plural animalcules also animalcula
ˌa-nə-ˈmal-kyə-lə
: a minute usually microscopic organism
Examples of animalcule in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The last time this tiny wheel animalcule was moving around, wooly mammoths roamed the earth.
—
Karen Hopkin, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2021
Van Leeuwenhoek estimated, correctly, that there were more animalcules swimming and creeping around in his mouth than there were people living in the Netherlands.
—Jonathan Weiner, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2016
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Karen Hopkin, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2021
Van Leeuwenhoek estimated, correctly, that there were more animalcules swimming and creeping around in his mouth than there were people living in the Netherlands.
—Jonathan Weiner, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Animalcule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/animalcule. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
animalcule
noun
an·i·mal·cule
ˌan-ə-ˈmal-kyül
: a very small organism that is invisible or nearly invisible to the naked eye
animalcular
adjective
-ˈmal-kyə-lər
Medical Definition
animalcule
noun
an·i·mal·cule
ˌan-ə-ˈmal-(ˌ)kyü(ə)l
variants
also animalculum
plural animalcules also animalcula
-kyə-lə
: a minute usually microscopic organism
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