noun
- Plural of protistan; organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista, which are single-celled or simple multicellular eukaryotes, including protozoans and algae.
Usage: scientific/biological term; the classification and terminology for protistans has evolved; some modern systems use 'protists' more commonly
Examples
- Protistans are found in nearly every aquatic environment on Earth.
- The biology class studied various protistans under the microscope.
- Many protistans are photosynthetic, while others are heterotrophic.
- Protistans represent an enormous diversity of eukaryotic life forms.
- Some protistans cause diseases in humans and animals.