Animalculous

/ˌænɪˈmælkjʊləs/ adjective

Definition

Containing, consisting of, or full of animalcules; infested with microscopic creatures.

Etymology

From 'animalcule' plus the Latin suffix '-ous' (meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'), used from the 17th century onward to describe liquids or environments teeming with microscopic life.

Kelly Says

A single drop of pond water described as 'animalculous' would have seemed magical to 17th-century observers—it meant an entire zoo was hiding in what looked like clear liquid.

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