rotifer

noun

ro·ti·fer ˈrō-tə-fər

: any of a class (Rotifera of the phylum Aschelminthes) of minute usually microscopic but many-celled chiefly freshwater aquatic invertebrates having the anterior end modified into a retractile disk bearing circles of strong cilia that often give the appearance of rapidly revolving wheels

Examples of rotifer in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Microscopic animals called rotifers, for example, require less than a millionth of a calorie to make one offspring. — Carl Zimmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024 In this state, cellular components are tightly packed, and the rotifer appears almost completely lifeless. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026 The process that allowed the rotifer to survive is known as cryptobiosis, a biological state in which metabolic activity slows to nearly zero. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 One candidate, a microscopic animal called a rotifer that is a natural predator in estuaries, looks promising. — Patrick Huyghe, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 See All Example Sentences for rotifer

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Latin rota + -fer

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of rotifer was in 1777

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Browse Nearby Words

roti

rotifer

rotiform

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Rotifer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotifer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rotifer

noun

ro·ti·fer ˈrōt-ə-fər

: any of a class of tiny aquatic invertebrate animals with circles of cilia on one end that look like moving wheels when moving

Medical Definition

rotifer

noun

ro·ti·fer ˈrōt-ə-fər

: any member of the phylum Rotifera

rotifer

noun

Examples of rotifer in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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