motile

1 of 2

adjective

mo·​tile ˈmō-tᵊl 

-ˌtī(-ə)l

: exhibiting or capable of movement

motile

2 of 2

noun

: a person whose prevailing mental imagery takes the form of inner feelings of action

Examples of motile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Semen quality was determined by measuring semen volume, sperm shape and concentration, and the proportion of sperm that were motile (capable of moving or swimming properly). —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Mar. 2025

Instead, the reduction in hormones and testes size only decreased the cichlids’ amount of motile sperm. —Joseph Castro, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2011

Moreover, having normal semen volumes, sperm motility, sperm concentration, and total motile sperm counts are not guarantees of fertility. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 21 June 2021

Some of the chloroplasts changed into more primitive, more motile proto-plastids that could get as small as 0.2 microns. —Quanta Magazine, 20 Jan. 2021

Unencumbered by truth, the face becomes interesting, motile—a work of art. —The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2020

This process involves washing it to remove unwanted substances like non-motile sperm, white blood cells and prostaglandins (hormone-like chemicals that can cause painful cramping when deposited into the uterus). —Christina Caron, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2020

In that Human Fertility study, only 37 percent of the sperm-containing precum samples had a fair amount of motile sperm, as in, ones that could make the journey toward an egg. —Kasandra Brabaw, SELF, 7 Mar. 2019

For Mr. Alaïa, each stitch, every motile moment, has to have an integral (as opposed to decorative) reason for being. —Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 8 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin motus, past participle of movēre

First Known Use

Adjective

1857, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for motile

• total
• anecdotal
• hypocotyl
• sacerdotal
• subtotal

Kids Definition

motile

adjective

mo·​tile

ˈmōt-ᵊl,

ˈmō-ˌtīl

: moving or able to move

motility

mō-ˈtil-ət-ē

noun

Medical Definition

motile

1 of 2 adjective

mo·​tile ˈmōt-ᵊl  ˈmō-ˌtīl 

: exhibiting or capable of movement

motile cilia

motile

2 of 2 noun

: a person whose prevailing mental imagery is motor rather than visual or auditory and takes the form of inner feelings of action compare audile entry 1, tactile entry 2, visualizer