unikont

U1N1I1K5O1N1T1

noun

A eukaryotic cell with a single flagellum; thought to be the ancestor of all animals and fungi.

OriginAncient Greek κοντός →
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Meanings

noununikont (plural unikonts)

plural unikonts

  1. biologyA eukaryotic cell with a single flagellum; thought to be the ancestor of all animals and fungi.

    Today, it is thought based on DNA sequence data that the Fungi form a clade in the eukaryotic supergroup Unikonta (“unikonts”), which also includes animals and several protist lineages.

    2017, David A. Baum, The Princeton Guide to Evolution, page 153

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκοντός“pole”
  2. Englishunikont

From uni- (“one”) + -kont (“flagellate”) from Ancient Greek κοντός (kontós, “pole”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish unikont
  • unikontTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

unikont. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unikont

MLA

“unikont.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unikont. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unikont,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unikont.

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