epithelial

American  

[ep-uh-thee-lee-uhl] / ˌɛp əˈθi li əl /

adjective

1. Biology. being or relating to an epithelium, any tissue that lines a cavity or covers a surface in an animal or plant.

   Cheek epithelial cells are often studied in school labs as they are easily obtained through a mouth rinse or swab.

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Other Word Forms

• interepithelial
  adjective
• nonepithelial
  adjective
• subepithelial
  adjective
• unepithelial
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of epithelial

First recorded in 1935–40; epitheli(um) ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

epithelial

Direct physical contact with the epithelial tumor cells was also essential.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

"One important next step is to determine how this epithelial metabolic pathway operates in human intestinal disease, especially in patients with inflammatory bowel disease," Yu said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

The review also explains that senescent cells build up in many specialized cell types, including hepatocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, astrocytes, and epithelial cells.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026

The new research shows that groups of epithelial cells, which form the surfaces of many tissues, can achieve an even greater sensing range.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 16, 2026

The epithelial cells have the ability to constrict to change the absorption of light, controlling the subject’s color and texture on a cell-by-bell basis.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste