vorticella

American

[vawr-tuh-sel-uh] / ˌvɔr təˈsɛl ə /

noun

PLURAL

vorticellae, vorticellas

any ciliated protozoan of the genus Vorticella, having a transparent, bell-shaped body with a retractile stalk.

vorticella British

/ ˌvɔːtɪˈsɛlə /

noun

any protozoan of the genus Vorticella, consisting of a goblet-shaped ciliated cell attached to the substratum by a long contractile stalk

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of vorticella

From New Latin, dating back to 1780–90; vortex, -ella

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If we fail to find the tree, we may secure other species of vorticella, all of which are very beautiful.

From Project Gutenberg

Dr. H. Charlton Bastian has also stated that, in spite of much observation, he has never seen the process in vorticella.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023