plankton
noun
plank·ton
ˈplaŋ(k)-tən 
-ˌtän
plural plankton also planktons
: the passively floating or weakly swimming usually minute organisms (such as dinoflagellates, diatoms, copepods, radiolarians, and larval crustaceans and fish) of a body of water
Note: An individual organism found in plankton is technically referred to as a plankter.
… photosynthesizing plankton will grow at their intrinsic rates until nutrients become limiting, light is reduced by shading, and grazing organisms become abundant enough to check the increase …—
W. H. Berger
W. H. BergerAlmost all marine invertebrates, such as corals, clams, and starfish, reproduce by releasing microscopic larvae that drift in the plankton for a period ranging from minutes to months.—Randy Olson et al.
Randy Olson et al.Dense schools of menhaden … pour through these waters, toothless mouths … slurping up plankton and detritus …—H. Bruce Franklin
H. Bruce FranklinThe prolific zebra mussels have extremely efficient filtering systems, removing enormous quantities of plankton from the water …—Nelson Bryant
see also phytoplankton, zooplankton
Nelson Bryant
planktonic
adjective
Other planktonic forms are grazers—tiny animals that filter algae and other organic matter out of the water and consume it.
—Wyoming Wildlife
Wyoming Wildlife
Examples of plankton in a Sentence
fish that feed mainly on plankton
Recent Examples on the Web
Every May through November, giant manta rays come to feed, amassing by the hundreds, doing somersaults to catch plankton in their open mouths while snorkelers watch on in awe.
—Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 9 May 2024
According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, sei whales eat 2,000 pounds of fish and plankton per day.
—CBS News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for plankton 
Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 9 May 2024
According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, sei whales eat 2,000 pounds of fish and plankton per day.
—CBS News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for plankton
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plankton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near plankton
Cite this Entry
“Plankton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plankton. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plankton
noun
plank·ton
ˈplaŋ(k)-tən
-ˌtän
: the floating or weakly swimming animal and plant life of a body of water
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