phycomycete

noun phy·co·my·cete \ˌfī-kō-ˈmī-ˌsēt, -ˌmī-ˈsēt\

Definition of PHYCOMYCETE

: any of a large class (Phycomycetes) of lower fungi that are in many respects similar to algae and are now often assigned to subdivisions (as Mastigomycotina and Zygomycota)

— phy·co·my·ce·tous \-ˌmī-ˈsē-təs\ adjective

Origin of PHYCOMYCETE

ultimately from Greek phykos + mykēt-, mykēs fungus — more at myc-

First Known Use: circa 1900

Medical Dictionary

phycomycete

noun phy·co·my·cete \ˌfī-kō-ˈmī-ˌsēt, -ˌmī-ˈsēt\

Medical Definition of PHYCOMYCETE

: any fungus of two subdivisions of lower fungi (Mastigomycotina and Zygomycotina of the division Eumycota) that have a body ranging from an undifferentiated mass of protoplasm to a well-developed and much-branched coenocytic mycelium and that reproduce mainly asexually by the formation of conidia or sporangia but include forms reproducing by nearly every transitional method from simple conjugation to sexual reproduction by the union of egg and sperm

—phy·co·my·ce·tous \-ˌmī-ˈsēt-əs\ adjective