multicellular

American  

[muhl-tee-sel-yuh-ler, muhl-tahy-] / ˌmʌl tiˈsɛl jə lər, ˌmʌl taɪ- /

adjective

1. composed of several or many cells.

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multicellular Scientific  

/ mŭl′tē-sĕl′yə-lər /

1. Having or consisting of many cells.

2. Compare unicellular

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Etymology

Origin of multicellular

First recorded in 1855–60; multi- + cellular

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Explanation

Something that's multicellular is a complex organism, made up of many cells. Humans are multicellular. While single-celled organisms can't usually be seen without a microscope, you can see most multicelluar organisms with the naked eye. Plants and animals are multicellular — although they all, including humans, start as a single cell that reproduces into many. Multi means "many," and the Latin root of cellular is cellularis, "of little cells," from cella, "small room."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

multicellular

Anisogamy is one of the most fundamental facts of life: Sexual reproduction is anisogamous in all animals and almost all multicellular plants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The findings, published in Science, offer new insight into how protein systems change over time and how multicellular life developed in these ecologically important bacteria.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026

Data from multicellular organisms will be needed to determine whether the same patterns apply to more complex life, including humans.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 24, 2025

Though Jablonski is more bullish on the survival prospects of unicellular life, there is some comfort for the multicellular among us too.

From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2025

Gene replication must explain how a multicellular organism emerges from a single cell—and errors in replication might elucidate how a spontaneous metabolic illness, or a devastating mental disease, might arise in a previously unaffected family.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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