any parasitic protozoan of the order Gregarinida, typically occurring in the digestive tract and body cavity of other invertebrates: phylum Apicomplexa (sporozoans)
adjective also: gregarinian (ˌɡrɛɡəˈrɪnɪən)
2.
of, relating to, or belonging to the Gregarinida
Word origin
C19: from New Latin Gregarīna genus name, from Latin gregārius; see gregarious
gregarine in American English
(ˈgrɛgəˌrin; ˈgrɛgəˌraɪn; ˈgrɛgərɪn)
noun
1.
any of a subclass (Gregarinia) of sporozoan protozoans that are parasites in the digestive tract of insects, crustaceans, earthworms, etc.
adjective
2.
of or pertaining to these protozoans
: also ˌgregaˈrinian (ˌgrɛgəˈrɪniən)
Word origin
< ModL Gregarina < L gregarius (see gregarious): name suggested by L. Dufour, 19th-c. Fr zoologist