ciliate

American  

[sil-ee-it, -eyt] / ˈsɪl i ɪt, -ˌeɪt /

noun

1. Also called ciliophoran.  any protozoan of the phylum Ciliophora (or in some classification schemes, class Ciliata), as those of the genera Paramecium, Tetrahymena, Stentor, and Vorticella, having cilia on part or all of the surface.

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adjective

1. Also ciliated having cilia.

2. belonging or pertaining to the phylum Ciliophora.

ciliate British  

/ ˈsɪlɪɪt, -eɪt /

adjective

1. Also: ciliated.  possessing or relating to cilia

   a ciliate epithelium

2. of or relating to protozoans of the phylum Ciliophora , which have an outer layer of cilia

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noun

1. a protozoan of the phylum Ciliophora

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unciliated
  adjective
• ciliately
  adverb
• nonciliate
  adjective
• multiciliate
  adjective
• multiciliated
  adjective
• nonciliated
  adjective
• ciliation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of ciliate

1785–95; < New Latin ciliātus, equivalent to cili ( a ) cilia + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Ciliate: fringed: set with even, parallel hairs or soft bristles.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

Ciliate, beset on the margin with a fringe of cilia, i. e. of hairs or bristles, like the eyelashes fringing the eyelids, whence the name.

From The Elements of Botany For Beginners and For Schools by Gray, Asa

On Blepharcorys equi, sp. nov., a New Ciliate from the Caecum of the Horse, by Irwin C. Schumacher.

From The Subspecies of the Mountain Chickadee by Grinnell, Joseph