hypnozoite

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noun

A dormant stage in the life cycle of some species of the malaria parasite Plasmodium (mainly) in the liver. It is formed directly (no multiplication takes place) from a sporozoite injected by the mosquito. However, not all of these inoculated sporozoites form hypnozoites. The reason(s) why some do and others don't is unknown.

Scrabble 27
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Meanings

nounhypnozoite (plural hypnozoites)

plural hypnozoites

  1. A dormant stage in the life cycle of some species of the malaria parasite Plasmodium (mainly) in the liver. It is formed directly (no multiplication takes place) from a sporozoite injected by the mosquito. However, not all of these inoculated sporozoites form hypnozoites. The reason(s) why some do and others don't is unknown.

Origin

From the Greek hypnos + zoon.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

hypotonize
Cite this entry
APA

hypnozoite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypnozoite

MLA

“hypnozoite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypnozoite. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypnozoite,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypnozoite.

Source: hypnozoite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.