cilia
- Biology. minute hairlike organelles, identical in structure to flagella, that line the surfaces of certain cells and beat in rhythmic waves, providing locomotion to ciliate protozoans and moving liquids along internal epithelial tissue in animals.
- Anatomy. the eyelashes.
Origin of cilia
Related Words for cilia
grain, thread, tissue, wig, hairstyle, grass, fur, haircut, fiber, wool, strand, eyebrow, mane, cord, web, grit, string, warp, tooth, hairExamples from the Web for cilia
Contemporary Examples of cilia
Attorney Cilia Flores, the first lady, is actually called “First Fighter.”
Historical Examples of cilia
The hind-wings are dull brownish-grey, with the cilia paler.
New Zealand Moths and ButterfliesG. V. Hudson
The hind-wings are grey; the cilia are white with a cloudy line.
New Zealand Moths and ButterfliesG. V. Hudson
Some of the cilia are used for running or swimming, others for grasping or touching, and so on.
The Wonders of LifeErnst Haeckel
It is by means of these cilia that the animal moves through the water.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tideAugusta Foote Arnold
The Protozoan swims by the vibration of these cilia in the water.
Elementary Zoology, Second EditionVernon L. Kellogg
cilia
- the plural of cilium
Word Origin and History for cilia
1715, from Latin cilia, plural of cilium "eyelid, eyelash," perhaps related to celare "to cover, hide," from PIE root *kel- "to conceal" (see cell), but words for this part of the face can be tricky (see brow). It sometimes is pluralized in English, which is an error. Related: Ciliated; ciliary; ciliate.
cilium
- A tiny hairlike projection on the surface of some cells and microscopic organisms, especially protozoans. Cilia are capable of whipping motions and are used by some microorganisms, such as paramecia, for movement. Cilia lining the human respiratory tract act to remove foreign matter from air before it reaches the lungs.