cilia
[ sil-ee-uh ]
/ ˈsɪl i ə /
plural noun, singular cil·i·um [sil-ee-uhm]. /ˈsɪl i əm/.
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.
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What does "scattergood" mean?
a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.
a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully; spendthrift.
a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUTOrigin of cilia
1705–15; New Latin, plural of cilium eyelash, Latin: upper eyelid, perhaps a back formation from supercilium eyebrow; see supercilium
Words nearby cilia
CIGS, ciguatera, ciguatoxin, cilantro, cili-, cilia, ciliarotomy, ciliary, ciliary artery, ciliary body, ciliary disk
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
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