What does coccidian mean?
Coccidian is a specialized zoological term for a parasitic apicomplexan protozoan belonging to the group formerly called the Coccidia. In veterinary and parasitological writing, the plural coccidia is especially common and can refer collectively to organisms in this group. Coccidians include pathogens associated with intestinal disease in livestock and other animals, so the adjective coccidian is used in phrases such as coccidian infection. The term is chiefly technical rather than everyday and should not be confused with coccidium: although the spellings differ, coccidium is the conventional singular associated with the plural coccidia, whereas coccidian functions as a broader singular noun and also as an adjective. The word is worth knowing because it names a biologically important group of microscopic parasites and connects modern classification with a distinctive classical etymology.
Any of various parasitic apicomplexan protozoans traditionally classified as coccidia, including species that cause coccidial disease in animals.
"The laboratory test was designed to detect a coccidian in the animal's stool."
The conventional scientific plural is coccidia.
Of, relating to, or caused by coccidia.
"Coccidial parasites were found during the post-mortem examination."
This adjective is most common in veterinary and parasitological contexts.
Coccidia is the standard scientific plural and is also frequently used collectively for coccidian parasites. The plural coccidians is grammatical but less usual.
"The stool analysis showed evidence of coccidia in the flock."
The name is a linguistic berry: it reaches back through Latin coccidium to Greek kokkos, meaning “berry.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does coccidian come from?
Coccidian was formed from Latin coccidium with the suffix -an, used to denote a member of a group. Latin coccidium is a diminutive of coccus, meaning “berry,” and coccus itself derives from Greek kokkos, likewise meaning “berry.”
Related word forms
How coccidian is actually used
The word is chiefly technical, especially in zoology, veterinary medicine, and parasitology. In specialist writing, coccidia is the usual plural and may also be used collectively; the plural coccidians is less common.
Easily confused with coccidian
Coccidium is the conventional singular form associated with the plural coccidia, whereas coccidian is a broader singular noun and can also function as an adjective.