1. small aquatic crustaceans that are abundant in both marine and freshwater environments
Usage: zoology; plural form

Examples

• Copepods form a crucial part of the ocean’s food chain.
• Marine biologists collected copepods from the plankton samples.
• Many fish species depend on copepods as their primary food source.
• The researcher studied copepods under a microscope to identify different species.
• Copepods are among the most numerous multicellular animals on Earth.
• Freshwater copepods can be found in lakes and ponds worldwide.