chemotaxis
noun
che·mo·tax·is
ˌkē-mō-ˈtak-səs 
: orientation or movement of an organism or cell in relation to chemical agents
Examples of chemotaxis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The microbes sense the presence of L-serine in their surroundings and move toward it, a behavior known as chemotaxis.
—
Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
Notably, the peptide has been found to contribute to wound healing and promotes chemotaxis of myoblasts, accelerating wound closure.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Aug. 2023
Roundworms rely on chemotaxis to find food, using taste and smell cues.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 20 Apr. 2023
This strategy — called gradient search or chemotaxis — works quite well if the odor molecules are distributed in a well-mixed fog, which is the end stage of a process known as diffusion.
—Dana MacKenzie, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2023
Instead, some bacteria raced through the maze substantially more quickly than others, largely because of varying aptitude for moving toward higher concentrations of food, a process called chemotaxis.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2019
Tackling the traveling salesman problem with chemotaxis is a nice example of when the suboptimal is optimal, says Bartumeus.
—Rachel Ehrenberg, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2011
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
Notably, the peptide has been found to contribute to wound healing and promotes chemotaxis of myoblasts, accelerating wound closure.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Aug. 2023
Roundworms rely on chemotaxis to find food, using taste and smell cues.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 20 Apr. 2023
This strategy — called gradient search or chemotaxis — works quite well if the odor molecules are distributed in a well-mixed fog, which is the end stage of a process known as diffusion.
—Dana MacKenzie, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2023
Instead, some bacteria raced through the maze substantially more quickly than others, largely because of varying aptitude for moving toward higher concentrations of food, a process called chemotaxis.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2019
Tackling the traveling salesman problem with chemotaxis is a nice example of when the suboptimal is optimal, says Bartumeus.
—Rachel Ehrenberg, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Chemotaxis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemotaxis. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chemotaxis
noun
che·mo·tax·is
ˌkē-mō-ˈtak-səs
: movement or positioning of cells or organisms in relation to a chemical
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share