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Glite Dictionary
biflagellate

biflagellate

9.6
Having two long thin tails that help a cell swim
  • adjective
  • /ˌbaɪˈflædʒəˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : biflagelado
  • Certain protozoa are biflagellate, possessing exactly two flagella on their cell body.

Examples

  • Under the microscope, the biflagellate nature of the swimming cell was clearly visible.

  • The biflagellate organism swims swiftly through the water.

  • The algae produced a biflagellate zoospore during reproduction.

  • Is it true that some biflagellate cells can reproduce rapidly?

  • Certain protozoa are biflagellate, possessing exactly two flagella on their cell body.

  • The biflagellate organism swims swiftly through the water.

  • Under the microscope, the biflagellate nature of the swimming cell was clearly visible.

Synonyms

flagellated
vsbiflagellate
  • Specialized
8.6

Having one or more long thin tails that help the cell move

specifies exactly two flagella rather than one or more

Antonyms

uniflagellate
  • Specialized
9.9

Having one long tail used to move

How Flagellated

flagellated
  • Specialized
8.6
biflagellate
  • Specialized
9.6
uniflagellate
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

biflagellate positive

Morphology

biflagellate = flagellate (transparent) = bi + flagellate

The prefix 'bi-' meaning 'two' combines directly with 'flagellate' ('having flagella'), so the sense 'having two flagella' is a straightforward, domain-technical composition.

Etymology

Biflagellate combines bi- 'two' and flagellate, from a Latin word for 'whip' that describes the long, thin tails cells use to move. So biflagellate means a cell has two of those whip-like tails, called flagella, which help it swim.