plas·mo·di·um 
(plăz-mōdē-əm)
(plăz-mōdē-əm)n. pl. plas·mo·di·a (-dē-ə)
1. A multinucleate, often large mass of protoplasm that moves and ingests food and is characteristic of the vegetative phase of plasmodial slime molds.
2. Any of various protozoans of the genus Plasmodium, which includes the parasites that cause malaria.
[New Latin Plasmōdium, genus name : PLASM(O)- + Greek -ōdēs, resembling; see COLLODION.]
plas·modi·al (-dē-əl) adj.