cryptosporidium
noun
cryp·to·spo·rid·i·um
ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈi-dē-əm 
plural cryptosporidia
ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈi-dē-ə
: any of a genus (Cryptosporidium of the order Coccidia) of protozoans parasitic in the gut of vertebrates including humans and sometimes causing diarrhea
Examples of cryptosporidium in a Sentence
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It's caused by cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite.
—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Public health officials began investigating the cryptosporidium outbreak around April 30, according to the BBC.
—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
10 May 2025
Commercial water treatment with UV began in the 1950s and really took off after research in 1998 showed that UV was effective at killing chlorine-resistant protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
—
Allison Marsh,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Aug. 2020
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Adam England,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Public health officials began investigating the cryptosporidium outbreak around April 30, according to the BBC.
—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
10 May 2025
Commercial water treatment with UV began in the 1950s and really took off after research in 1998 showed that UV was effective at killing chlorine-resistant protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
—
Allison Marsh,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Aug. 2020
See All Example Sentences for cryptosporidium
Cite this Entry
“Cryptosporidium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptosporidium. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cryptosporidium
noun
cryp·to·spo·rid·i·um
ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈid-ē-əm
1
capitalized
: a genus of protozoans (family Cryptosporidiidae) that are parasitic in the gut of many vertebrates including humans and that sometimes cause diarrhea especially in individuals who are immunocompromised (as in AIDS)
2
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