Meanings
noundesmid (plural desmids)
plural desmids
- Any of about 5000 species of mostly unicellular freshwater green algae belonging to the order Desmidiales.
Desmids, which are exclusively freshwater algae, are so named because the first of these green microorganisms to be described were thought to be pairs of cells joined together, and the Greek word 'desmos' means a bond or chain.
1981, Alan J. Brook, The Biology of Desmids, University of California Press, Botanical Monographs 16, page 1
Origin
- Ancient Greekδεσμός“ligature, ligament, bond”
- Englishdesmid
From Ancient Greek δεσμός (desmós, “ligature, ligament, bond”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
desmid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desmid
MLA
“desmid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desmid. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “desmid,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desmid.
Source: desmid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.