nounWord forms:  plural -bae (-biː) or -basany protozoan of the phylum Rhizopoda, esp any of the genus Amoeba, able to change shape because of the movements of cell processes (pseudopodia). They live in fresh water or soil or as parasites in humans and animals
 Word origin
C19: from New Latin, from Greek 
amoibē change, from 
ameibein to change, exchange