Question

What is an animalcule? what words do we use today instead of animalcule

Answer 1

An animalcule is an outdated term used historically to describe microscopic organisms such as bacteria and protozoa. Today, we use specific terms like microorganisms, protists, bacteria, and protozoa to describe these entities in biology.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term animalcule was used historically to describe tiny microscopic organisms, including bacteria and protozoa, that could only be observed through a microscope. The word comes from the Latin 'animalculum', meaning 'little animal'. Dutch scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek, a pioneer in using the microscope, is famous for using this word to describe the microscopic organisms he observed. In today's language, we commonly refer to these organisms using terms such as microorganisms, protists, bacteria, and protozoa, among others.

Our understanding and terminology of the microscopic world have evolved significantly since the 17th century. The compound word animalcule is rarely used in modern biological sciences; instead, specific terms that denote the organism's kingdom, phylum, and species are preferred.

Answer 2

Animalcule means little animal, but the term is outdated. A more common use for this word would be protozoa or microscopic animal (such an an amoeba).