Myxomycete
/ˌmɪk.soʊˈmaɪ.siːt/noun
A member of the slime molds, especially a plasmodial slime mold.
Did you know?Myxomycete comes from Greek roots for “mucus” and “fungus,” reflecting how these organisms were historically trapped between kingdoms, as if language itself couldn’t decide what they were.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mýxa (μύξα)
“mucus, slime”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mýkēs (μύκης)
“fungus, mushroom”
19th Century
New Latin
Myxomycetes
“a taxonomic group of slime molds”
19th Century
English
myxomycete
“a slime mold, especially a plasmodial slime mold”