# plankton

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈplæŋ(k).tən/ · frequency rank #27,248

## Definitions
1. Organisms, especially small and microscopic ones, that drift in water.
2. A plankter, any single organism that drifts in water.

## Etymology
Borrowed from German Plankton, coined by German zoologist and marine biologist Victor Hensen. By surface analysis, Ancient Greek πλαγκτός (planktós, “drifter”) + -on. Ultimately from Ancient Greek πλαγκτόν (planktón, “drifting”), neuter nominative of πλαγκτός (planktós), from πλάζομαι (plázomai, “to wander, drift”), from πλάζω (plázō, “to cause to wander, drive astray”). By surface analysis, plankt- + -on.

## Common misspellings (13)
`lpankton`, `palnkton`, `plaknton`, `plankkton`, `plankotn`, `planktno`, `planktonn`, `planktton`, `plannkton`, `plantkon`, `pllankton`, `plnakton`, `pplankton`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/plankton