Definition of "diatom" [di•a•tom]

• Any of various microscopic one-celled or colonial algae of the class Bacillariophyceae, having cell walls of silica consisting of two interlocking symmetrical valves. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The name diatom comes from a Greek word diatomos that means cut in half, because the shells of diatoms have two overlapping, symmetrical halves."
• "I'm not exactly sure what Visuals by diatom is all about, but yet I like all the different colours and the funky graphic work they perform there."
• "Washington, April 9: Engineers at Oregon State University (OSU) in the US are using an ancient life form called diatom to create one of the newest technologies for solar energy, in systems that may be simple enough to build compared to existing silicon-based solar cells."