What does nonmotile mean?
Nonmotile means unable or unwilling to move from one place to another. The term is especially common in biology, where it describes organisms, cells, spores, and other structures that lack the ability to propel themselves or move actively. A nonmotile organism may nevertheless be transported by wind, water, or another animal, so the word means that it does not move by its own means. In general writing, “immobile” is often the more familiar term, but “nonmotile” can be useful when making a technical contrast between organisms that move actively and those that remain fixed. It may also carry a broader implication of being unable or unwilling to change position, in which sense it can describe a person, object, or situation. The word is typically used with a formal, scientific, or descriptive tone.
adjectiveUnable or unwilling to move from one place to another. In biology, it refers especially to organisms or cells that lack the ability to propel themselves or move actively.
- Unable or unwilling to move from one place to another.
- In biology, lacking the ability to move actively or propel oneself from place to place.
"The bacterium is nonmotile and remains attached to the surface of the host cell."
"The nonmotile cells remain firmly fixed to the rock."
"Unlike the motile larvae, the adult form is nonmotile and spends its life attached to a submerged surface."
A nonmotile organism may travel great distances, but it does so by being carried rather than by moving itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonmotile come from?
The word combines the English prefix “non-” meaning “not” with “motile,” a term derived from Latin motilis, meaning capable of movement. The Latin root motus, meaning “movement” or “motion,” also underlies related English words such as “mobile,” “motion,” and “motive.” The combined form “nonmotile” developed as a specialized descriptive term, especially in biological writing.
How nonmotile is actually used
The term is most common in biology, where it describes organisms, cells, spores, or other structures that do not move actively. In general contexts, “immobile” is often more natural.
Easily confused with nonmotile
“Immobile” is the general word for being unable to move, whereas “nonmotile” is especially used in biology for organisms or cells that do not actively move by their own mechanisms.
“Sessile” describes an organism that is attached to a surface and usually remains there, while “nonmotile” describes the more general absence of active movement.