noun

motility

moh-TIL-i-tee

Motility (noun) means the ability of a cell or organism to move by itself, most often used of sperm. Example: “The test measures sperm count, shape and motility.”

noun

The ability of a cell or organism to move by itself, most often used of sperm.

"The test measures sperm count, shape and motility."

"Low motility means fewer sperm reach the egg."

medical The coordinated muscular movement of an organ, especially the contractions that push food through the digestive tract.

"The drug improves gut motility in patients with delayed emptying."

"Poor oesophageal motility can make swallowing difficult."

How to Use Motility

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHow well something can move under its own power.

When to use it

Technical — medicine, fertility testing and biology.

Memory tip

In a semen analysis, motility is how well the sperm swim, while morphology is what shape they are. They are scored separately.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

mobility → morphology → motivity

Common pairings

sperm motility progressive motility gut motility reduced motility

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “motility” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The test measures sperm count, shape and _____.

Etymology

From Latin motus, past participle of movere 'to move', via motile.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →

mobility movement

Antonyms

immotility

Related Words

campaign activity traffic mobile flow motion trend stroke

Rhymes for motility

city pity deity acuity parity entity brevity opacity paucity ability quality reality

See all rhymes for motility →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between motility and mobility?

Motility is the capacity to move spontaneously using one's own energy, which is why it applies to cells, bacteria and organs. Mobility is the more general ability to be moved or to get about, and it does not imply self-generated movement.

What counts as normal sperm motility?

Laboratories typically look for at least 40 per cent of sperm moving at all, and around 30 per cent showing progressive motility — swimming forwards rather than twitching in place. Exact reference values vary between labs and guidelines, so results should be read against the report's own ranges.

People Also Searched

campaign activity traffic mobile flow motion trend stroke