A small amoeba or an early stage amoeba-like organism, especially the free-swimming larval form of certain parasites.
From 'amoeba' (Greek amoibē, 'change') plus the diminutive suffix '-ula,' creating a term for a tiny or young amoeba. The Latin diminutive ending was added to the already-Latinized form of the Greek word.
Amebulas are tiny shape-shifters that spread diseases like dysentery—they're one reason why explorers and soldiers in tropical regions historically suffered from mysterious intestinal illnesses before germ theory explained what was happening.
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