verb
- to enclose or become enclosed in a cyst or protective covering
Usage: biology; medicine
Examples
- The parasite will encyst in the host’s tissue to survive harsh conditions.
- Certain bacteria encyst when environmental conditions become unfavorable.
- The organism encysted itself to protect against dehydration.
- Doctors found that the infection had encysted in the patient’s liver.
- Some protozoans encyst during their dormant phase.
- The larvae encyst in muscle tissue before developing further.