noun
- tiny hair-like structures that project from certain cells and move in a wave-like motion to help with movement or to move substances
Usage: biology; plural form
Examples
- The cilia in your respiratory tract help move mucus and debris out of your lungs.
- Paramecia use their cilia to swim through pond water.
- Damaged cilia in the airways can lead to breathing problems.
- The cilia lining the fallopian tubes help move the egg toward the uterus.
- Under the microscope, we could see the cilia beating rhythmically.
- Some bacteria have cilia that help them move toward food sources.