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cryp·to·spor·id·i·um

(krĭp′tō-spə-rĭdē-əm)

A protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium that is an intestinal parasite in humans and other vertebrates and sometimes causes diarrhea that is especially severe in immunocompromised people.

[New Latin Cryptosporidium, genus name : CRYPT(O)- + SPOR(O)- + Latin -idium, diminutive suff. (from Greek -idion).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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