tardigrade

noun

tar·​di·​grade ˈtär-də-ˌgrād How to pronounce tardigrade (audio)
: any of a phylum (Tardigrada) of microscopic invertebrates with four pairs of stout legs that live usually in water or damp moss

called also water bear

Examples of tardigrade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Gathering numerous samples from a range of locations is key to studying tardigrade biodiversity. Paulina Rowińska, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2025 Researchers have compared this survival strategy to that of tardigrades, microscopic creatures famous for enduring the vacuum of space. Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 Though inconspicuous—the largest reach only about one millimeter in length—tardigrades are incredibly resilient. Paulina Rowińska, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2025 The authors determined the smaller tardigrade was a new genus and species: . Mindy Weisberger, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for tardigrade

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Latin tardigradus slow-moving, from tardus slow + gradi to step, go — more at grade entry 1

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tardigrade was in 1860

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Cite this Entry

“Tardigrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tardigrade. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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