1. Plural of coccidian; parasitic protozoans of the phylum Apicomplexa that infect the intestinal epithelium of vertebrates, especially birds and mammals.
Usage: technical; biology; veterinary medicine

Examples

• Coccidians are a common cause of diarrhea in young poultry.
• The veterinarian diagnosed the chick with coccidiosis after identifying coccidians in the fecal sample.
• Different species of coccidians affect different host animals.
• Coccidians reproduce through a complex life cycle involving both sexual and asexual stages.
• Farmers use anticoccidial drugs to prevent infections from coccidians in livestock.