entameba

or ent·a·moe·ba

[ en-tuh-mee-buh ]
/ ˌɛn təˈmi bə /

noun, plural ent·a·me·bae [en-tuh-mee-bee] /ˌɛn təˈmi bi/, ent·a·me·bas. Biology.

any protozoan of the genus Entamoeba, members of which are parasitic in vertebrates, including the human pathogens E. gingivalis, found in dental plaque, and E. histolytica, the cause of amebic dysentery.
Compare endameba.

Origin of entameba

From New Latin; see origin at ento-, ameba

Words nearby entameba

entablement, entad, entail, entailment, ental, entameba, entamebiasis, entamoeba, entangle, entanglement, entangling alliances with none

British Dictionary definitions for entamoeba

entamoeba

endamoeba, US entameba or US endameba

/ (ˌɛntəˈmiːbə) /

noun plural -bae (-biː) or -bas

any parasitic amoeba of the genus Entamoeba (or Endamoeba), esp E. histolytica, which lives in the intestines of man and causes amoebic dysentery

Medical definitions for entamoeba (1 of 2)

Entamoeba

n.

A genus of amebas whose members are parasitic in the cecum and large bowel of humans and many mammals and birds. E. histolytica, the only distinct pathogen of the genus, causes amebic dysentery and hepatic amebiasis.

Medical definitions for entamoeba (2 of 2)

entameba

n.

A parasitic ameba of the genus Entamoeba.