Definition

A tiny, single-celled organism found mainly in the ocean, which has two whip-like structures called flagella. These organisms are important in the food chain and can sometimes cause harmful events like red tide.

Example

The dinoflagellate caused the water to glow at night due to its bioluminescent properties.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a dinoflagellate?

No, what is that?

They're tiny marine organisms that can glow in the dark!

That sounds fascinating! I didn't know such creatures existed.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dinoflagellate → It is formed from "dino-" (from Greek "dinos", meaning terrible or fearsome) and "flagellum" (from Latin, meaning whip). The word describes a group of single-celled organisms that have whip-like appendages, which can be seen as fearsome due to their ability to cause harmful algal blooms.

Memory Tip

Think of 'dinos' meaning terrible, and 'flagellum' referring to a whip — this helps you remember that dinoflagellates are single-celled organisms with whip-like tails that can be quite fearsome.

Visually Confused Words