Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • External parasites or ectoparasites which live upon the surface or in the skin of the host: the opposite of Entozoa.
  • Specifically, an order of very singular low aberrant Crustacea degraded by parasitism, including the many grotesque forms commonly known as fish-lice.
  • [lowercase] Plural of epizoön.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of epizoon.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word epizoa.

Examples

  • The epizoa generally lodge themselves in various parts of the plumage of birds; and almost every group of birds becomes the host of some specific or varietal form with distinct adaptations.

    Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885 Various

  • Almost every animal is a living poor-house, and harbors one or more species of _epizoa_ or _entozoa_, supplying them gratis, not only with a permanent home, but with all the necessaries and luxuries of life.

    Natural Law in the Spiritual World Henry Drummond 1874

  • "fittest" -- which many take to mean "best" or "highest" -- whereas natural selection may work towards degradation: vide epizoa.

    Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 3 Leonard Huxley 1896

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.