noun
- single-celled microorganisms that have hair-like structures called cilia used for movement and feeding
Usage: biology; plural form
Examples
- Ciliates are common in freshwater ponds and lakes.
- The paramecium is one of the most well-known ciliates.
- Scientists studied the feeding behavior of various ciliates under the microscope.
- Ciliates use their cilia to sweep food particles into their mouth-like opening.
- The biology class observed ciliates swimming rapidly through the water sample.
- Many ciliates reproduce through a process called binary fission.