adjective
unicellular
yoo-nih-SEL-yuh-lər
Unicellular (adjective) means Describes a microorganism made up of a single cell. Example: “Bacteria are unicellular organisms.”
adjective
1
biology Describes a microorganism made up of a single cell.
"Bacteria are unicellular organisms."
"Yeast is a unicellular fungus used in baking and brewing."
"The class studied how unicellular organisms reproduce."
noun
1
biology A single-celled organism.
"The pond sample was full of tiny unicellulars."
"Some unicellulars can move using tiny hair-like structures."
"Researchers compared how different unicellulars respond to changes in temperature."
How to use unicellular
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving just one cell, rather than many.
When to use it
This is a scientific term used mainly in biology.
Memory tip
Pair it mentally with its opposite, multicellular, to remember what it means.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
multicellular
Common pairings
unicellular organism
unicellular life
unicellular fungus
unicellular algae
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Bacteria are _____ organisms.
Etymology
The word combines the prefix uni-, meaning one, with cellular.
Synonyms
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single-celled
monocellular
unicell
Antonyms
multicellular
Rhymes for unicellular
See all rhymes for unicellular →Frequently asked questions
What does unicellular mean?
It describes an organism made up of just one cell, such as a bacterium or a yeast cell.
What is an example of a unicellular organism?
Bacteria and yeast are common examples of unicellular organisms.
What is the opposite of unicellular?
The opposite is multicellular, meaning made up of many cells.
What is the meaning of unicellular?
"unicellular" (adjective) means describes a microorganism made up of a single cell.
