any minute aquatic multicellular invertebrate of the phylum Rotifera, having a ciliated wheel-like organ used in feeding and locomotion: common constituents of freshwater plankton
Also called: wheel animalcule
Derived forms
rotiferal (rəʊˈtɪfərəl) or rotiferous (roˈtiferous)
adjective
Word origin
C18: from New Latin Rotifera, from Latin rota wheel + ferre to bear
rotifer in American English
(ˈroʊtəfər)
noun
any of a phylum (Rotifera) of microscopic invertebrate animals found mostly in fresh waters, having one or more rings of cilia at the front end of the body that, when vibrated, resemble rotating wheels