noun
a division of lower plants comprising unicellular and biflagellate algae that form starchy compounds
• Syn: ↑phylum Pyrrophyta
• Hypernyms: ↑phylum
• Member Holonyms: ↑Monera, ↑kingdom Monera, ↑Prokayotae, ↑kingdom Prokaryotae
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\\pə̇ˈräfəd.ə\ noun pluralUsage: capitalized
: a division or other category of lower plants comprising yellowish-green to golden-brown algae that are mostly unicellular and biflagellate, that form starch, starchy compounds, or oil as food reserves, and that include the dinoflagellates and cryptomonads
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/pi rof"i teuh/, n. Biol.
a phylum in the kingdom Protista comprising the dinoflagellates and cryptomonads.
[ < NL < Gk pyrrh(ós) red + -o- -O- + phytá, pl. of PHYTÓN -PHYTE]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.