n pl :  an order of minute telosporidian protozoans that are parasitic at some stage of the life cycle in the blood cells of vertebrates and that include the malaria parasites of the family Plasmodiidae, numerous bird parasites of the family Haemoproteidae, and the piroplasms and related pathogens of cattle belonging to the family Babesiidae hae*mo*spo*rid*i*an adj or n 
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  He·mo·spo·rid·ia 
 
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