Motile

Quick meaning: Motile is an adjective meaning (biology) In organisms: having the power to move spontaneously.

Meaning

(biology) In organisms: having the power to move spontaneously.

More Meanings

1. (biology) In organs or organelles: capable of producing motion.
2. (psychology) Of or relating to those mental images that arise from the sensations of bodily movement and position.
3. (physiology) In organs: having the power to move their contents, or to change their shape or tension by writhing or contracting as required by their particular physiological functions.
4. (psychology) A person whose prevailing mental imagery takes the form of inner feelings of action, such as incipient pronunciation of words, muscular innervations, etc.

Example Sentences

And even if they use condoms, Wendell is young. His sperm is likely to be extremely motile.

It seemed to him that, if there were a Holy Trinity as the churches taught, this must be unified through a manner of capillary action, Father merging into Son and both into Holy Ghost. So God is motile as the blood is.

2010 Steven M. Carr: Origin of Evolutionary Novelty, The Garstang Hypothesis Memorial University of Newfoundland Modern As (Subphylum Urochordata) typically have a motile tadpole larva that undergoes metamorphosis to a sessile adult.

Flagella and cilia are structurally conserved motile organelles found on diverse cell types, ranging from single-celled protozoa and algae to multicellular tissues in vertebrates. They have diverse roles, for example, they can propel cells such as sperm through their environment or move fluid across a cell surface, as in ciliated epithelia such as the respiratory tract and oviduct.

Word Forms

• motiles

Synonyms for motile

Depending on context, synonyms include vagile, ambulatory, kinetic, mobile, motive, movable.

Antonyms for motile

Common opposites include sessile.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include mobile, pseudomonas, ookinete, moveable, movable, portable.

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