What does motility mean?
Motility is the capacity for movement, especially the spontaneous movement of living organisms, organs, or cells. In medicine, the word most often refers to coordinated movement within the body, such as the contractions that move food through the intestines or the activity that allows sperm to swim. A disorder of motility can therefore affect digestion, reproduction, or other bodily functions. The word can also be used more broadly for the ability of an organism or cell to move. Although motility and mobility are sometimes confused, mobility is more commonly used for the ease with which a person or vehicle can move around, whereas motility emphasizes movement within a biological system. Motility is especially valuable in medical and scientific writing because it identifies movement as a measurable physiological property.
nounThe capacity or power of an organism, organ, or cell to move, especially the spontaneous movement of the digestive tract or other bodily structures.
- The capacity or power of an organism, organ, or cell to move, especially the spontaneous movement of the digestive tract or other bodily structures.
- The power of an organism or cell to move spontaneously, as distinct from movement caused by an external force.
- The ability of a fluid or substance to flow or move, especially in scientific and technical contexts.
"The test measures sperm motility and the ability of the cells to move normally."
"Reduced intestinal motility can cause constipation and abdominal discomfort."
"Researchers studied the motility of the cells through a microscope."
Rarely used; the singular form is standard in ordinary medical and biological writing.
"The study compared the motilities of cells under different conditions."
In medicine, motility describes the coordinated movement that keeps digestion moving; when it slows or stops, the consequences can be as important as the movement itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does motility come from?
Motility comes from Latin motilitas, meaning “the power of being moved” or “mobility,” and is derived from movere, “to move.” English borrowed the word in the early 19th century for the movement of living bodies or their organs. Its relatives include motion, motive, motor, and moment, all associated with the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How motility is actually used
The term is most common in medicine and biology. In clinical use, it usually describes movement generated by the body itself, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, fallopian tubes, or sperm.
Easily confused with motility
Motility refers to the capacity for movement within an organism or organ, whereas mobility more often describes the ability of a person or vehicle to move from place to place.