English Explanatory Dictionary

motile

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. In organisms: having the power to move spontaneously.
  2. In organs or organelles: capable of producing motion.
  3. 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. Of or relating to those mental images that arise from the sensations of bodily movement and position.
noun
  1. A person whose prevailing mental imagery takes the form of inner feelings of action, such as incipient pronunciation of words, muscular innervations, etc.

Pronunciation

/ˈməʊtaɪl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-motile.wav

Word forms

motile more motile most motile motiles

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁-der. Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Latin mōtus English -ile English motile From Latin mōtus, perfect passive participle of moveō (“to move”) (English move), + -ile.

Synonyms

vagile ambulatory animate kinetic mobile motile motive movable

Antonyms

sessile

Derived words

dysmotile electromotile hypermotile hypomotile immotile motilely motility nonmotile photomotile
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