1. Plural of flagellum; long, whip-like structures that extend from certain cells (such as bacteria or sperm) and enable movement.
Usage: Biology/microbiology term; Also spelled 'flagella' (Latin plural form, more common in scientific contexts)
2. In botany, a long, slender, whip-like appendage or runner of a plant.
Usage: Botanical term; Less common than the biological sense

Examples

• Bacteria use their flagellums to swim through liquid environments.
• The flagellums on sperm cells help them move toward the egg.
• Under the microscope, the scientist observed the rotating flagellums of the microorganism.
• Some protozoans have multiple flagellums that propel them through water.
• The plant's flagellums spread across the ground to establish new growth points.