Pro"te*us (?), n. [L., Gr. .]
1. Class. Myth.
A sea god in the service of Neptune who assumed different shapes at will. Hence, one who easily changes his appearance or principles.
2. Zool. (a)
A genus of aquatic eel-shaped amphibians found in caves in Austria. They have permanent external gills as well as lungs. The eyes are small and the legs are weak.
(b)
A changeable protozoan; an ameba.
<-- 3. a genus of gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria, including some species pathogenic in man. -->
© Webster 1913.