Word · Frequency #29437
diatom
硅藻
microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater alga with cell walls impregnated with silica
- 1.
Any of a group of minute unicellular algae having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, now categorized as class Diatomophyceae or division Bacillariophyta.
- 2.
A molecule composed of two atoms of the same element; a homonuclear diatomic molecule.
- 3.
microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater colonial alga having cell walls impregnated with silica
细胞壁含二氧化硅的微小单细胞海洋或淡水群体藻类
细胞壁含二氧化硅的微小单细胞海洋或淡水群体藻类；硅藻；[医] 硅藻；矽藻
In use
Diatoms are a major food source for tiny marine animals.
She studied the glassy shells of diatoms under her school microscope.
Some diatoms drift freely while others attach to rocks or plants.
a diatom
diatom 是可数名词，指单个个体时用 a 或 an 限定。
A diatom is a microscopic alga with a silica cell wall.
硅藻是一种具有硅质细胞壁的微型藻类。
diatoms
指硅藻这一类生物时常用复数形式 diatoms 泛指。
Diatoms live in both marine and freshwater environments.
硅藻生活在海洋和淡水环境中。
diatom species
diatom 可直接作定语修饰名词，如 diatom species（硅藻物种）。
Connections
Collocations
- diatom bloom
- 硅藻水华；硅藻大量繁殖
- A diatom bloom can turn the water reddish brown.硅藻水华能使水变成红棕色。
- diatom frustule
- 硅藻的矽质壳
- A diatom frustule has a beautiful, intricate pattern.硅藻的矽质壳有美丽而复杂的图案。
- diatom cell wall
- 硅藻细胞壁
- A diatom cell wall is composed of two overlapping halves.硅藻细胞壁由两个重叠的半片组成。
- marine diatom
- 海洋硅藻
- Marine diatoms are a major source of food for ocean life.海洋硅藻是海洋生物的主要食物来源。
- diatom fossil
- 硅藻化石
- Diatom fossils are often found in lake sediments.硅藻化石常见于湖泊沉积物中。
Confusing words
Learner notes
Memory Tip
diatom 开头 di 像'滴'，一滴水里就有无数硅藻；它们的硅质外壳像透明玻璃小盒。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：biology class、oceanography research、science articles diatom 是专业术语，通常用于生物学、海洋学等学术或科普语境，日常口语中较少使用。
Grammar Note
diatoms
Pronunciation & Spelling
No common English word rhymes with diatom (/ˈdaɪətəm/). Atom (/ˈætəm/) and autumn (/ˈɔːtəm/) share only the final syllable /-təm/, not the stressed vowel. Diagram (/ˈdaɪəɡræm/), dialect (/ˈdaɪəlekt/), and dial (/ˈdaɪəl/) match the initial /ˈdaɪə/ sound and spelling dia but are not rhymes. Diet (/ˈdaɪət/) is a close partial sound match to diatom's first two syllables.
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.