n. Any of various parasitic flagellate protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma, transmitted to the vertebrate bloodstream, lymph, and spinal fluid by certain insects and often causing diseases such as sleeping sickness and nagana. [From New Latin Trȳpanosōma, genus name : Greek trūpanon, auger (from trūpān, to bore, from trūpē, hole; see terə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Greek sōma, body; see -SOME3.] try·pan′o·somal, try·pan′o·somic (-sŏmĭk) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.