Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Volvox \Vol"vox\, n. (Bot.)
A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one
fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water,
the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has
been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but
is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is
considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest
species is Volvox globator, often called globe animalcule.
Animalcule \An`i*mal"cule\, n. [As if fr. a L. animalculum, dim.
of animal.]
1. A small animal, as a fly, spider, etc. [Obs.] --Ray.
2. (Zo["o]l.) An animal, invisible, or nearly so, to the
naked eye. See {Infusoria}.
Note: Many of the so-called animalcules have been shown to be
plants, having locomotive powers something like those
of animals. Among these are {Volvox}, the
{Desmidiac[ae]}, and the siliceous {Diatomace[ae]}.
{Spermatic animalcules}. See {Spermatozoa}.
Source : WordNet®
Volvox
n : type genus of the Volvocaceae; minute pale green flagellates
occurring in tiny spherical colonies; minute flagella
rotate the colony about an axis [syn: {genus Volvox}]