What does immotile mean?
Immotile refers to cells, organisms, or parts of organisms that are incapable of movement. This term is commonly used in biology and medicine to describe cells that lack motility, such as certain types of epithelial cells or sperm. Immotile cells are often contrasted with motile cells, which are able to move using flagella, cilia, or other mechanisms. The term immotile can also be used more broadly to describe anything that is fixed or stationary, but this usage is less common. Understanding the concept of immotility is important in fields such as reproductive medicine, where immotile sperm can be a factor in infertility.
adjectiveIn biology, immotile refers to cells or organisms that are unable to move. This term is often used to describe cells that lack motility, such as certain types of epithelial cells.
- Unable to move, especially in reference to cells or organisms.
- Fixed or stationary; not capable of movement.
"The immotile sperm were unable to fertilize the egg."
"The immotile cells were unable to migrate to the site of injury."
"The statue was immotile, standing still for centuries."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of immotile
The word 'immotile' comes from the Latin prefix 'im-', meaning 'not', and the word 'motilis', meaning 'able to move'. The term 'motilis' is derived from 'motus', the past participle of 'movere', meaning 'to move'. The word 'immotile' has been used in English since the 17th century to describe things that are unable to move.
Usage notes
This term is primarily used in biological and medical contexts to describe cells or organisms that lack the ability to move. It is not commonly used to describe inanimate objects.