WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
trich•o•cyst
(trik′ə sist′),USA pronunciation n. [Zool.]
trich′o•cyst ′ic, adj.
- an organ of offense and defense embedded in the outer cytoplasm of certain protozoans, consisting of a small elongated sac containing a fine, hairlike filament capable of being ejected.
- tricho- + cyst 1850–55
'trichocyst' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):