cœnobium

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A community of monks living under one roof and under one government; a monastery; a religious community.
2. n. [NL.] In zoology, the mulberry-like mass of a compound protozoan, or cluster of many unicellular animals in one stock: originally applied by F. Stein to the spherical clusters of monads at the ends of the branched pedicels of certain infusorians.
3. n. [NL.] In botany: A name of the fruit peculiar to the Boraginaceæ and Labiatæ, consisting of four distinct nutlets around a common style.
4. n. In certain unicellular algæ, a colony consisting of a definite number of cells. In Pandornia a cœnobium consists of sixteen one-celled plants grouped together in a definite form.
5. n. Also spelled cenobium.