peritrichous

adjective

pe·​rit·​ri·​chous pə-ˈri-tri-kəs How to pronounce peritrichous (audio)
1
: having flagella uniformly distributed over the body
peritrichous bacteria
2
: having a spiral line of modified cilia around the oral disk
peritrichous protozoa
peritrichously adverb

Word History

Etymology

peri- + Greek trich-, thrix hair

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of peritrichous was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near peritrichous

Cite this Entry

“Peritrichous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peritrichous. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

peritrichous

adjective
pe·​rit·​ri·​chous pə-ˈri-tri-kəs How to pronounce peritrichous (audio)
1
: having or being flagella which are uniformly distributed over the body
peritrichous bacteria
2
: having a spiral line of modified cilia around the cytostome
peritrichous protozoans
peritrichously adverb
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