Standard Lemma guide

cilium

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈsɪl.i.əm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪliəm

1

noun

Meaning 1

A short microscopic hairlike organelle projecting from a eukaryotic cell (such as a unicellular organism or one cell of a multicelled organism) which serve either for propulsion by causing currents in the surrounding fluid or as sensors.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, cytology, medicine, natural-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One of the fine hairs along an insect's wing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, entomology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

One of the hairs or similar protrusions along the margin of an organ.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An eyelash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a hairlike projection from the surface of a cell; provides locomotion in free-swimming unicellular organisms

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organelle, cell organelle, cell organ

6

noun

Meaning 6

any of the short curved hairs that grow from the edges of the eyelids

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: eyelash, lash

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hair

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cilium (“eyelid”).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ресна (resna) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Catalan: cili — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Chinese: 纖毛 /纤毛 (xiānmáo) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Chinese: 纤毛 (xiānmáo) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Czech: řasinka — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Czech: brva — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Finnish: värekarva — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • French: cil — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Greek: βλεφαρίδα (vlefarída) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Italian: ciglio — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Central Kurdish: برژۆڵە (birjolle) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Northern Kurdish: kûlk — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Māori: hururiki — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Nepali: पक्ष्म (pakṣma) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Polish: rzęska — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Portuguese: cílio — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Russian: ресни́чка (resníčka) — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Spanish: cilio — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Swedish: cilie — hairlike organelle projecting from eukaryotic cell
  • Bulgarian: ресница (resnica) — hair along the margin of an organ
  • Finnish: ripsi — hair along the margin of an organ
  • Polish: rzęska — hair along the margin of an organ