biflagellate
|bi-flag-el-late|
/ˌbaɪˈflædʒəleɪt/
having two flagella
Etymology
'biflagellate' is formed from the prefix 'bi-' (from Latin 'bi-' meaning 'two') + 'flagellate', which comes from Latin 'flagellum' meaning 'whip' with the adjectival/verb-forming suffix '-ate'.
'flagellate' derives from Latin 'flagellum' ('whip'), passed into New Latin/Modern scientific usage as 'flagellatus/flagellare' and then English 'flagellate'; combining with the Latin-derived prefix 'bi-' produced the compound 'biflagellate' in scientific nomenclature.
The components originally referred literally to a 'two' element and a 'whip'; in modern biological usage the compound came to mean 'having or bearing two whip-like flagella' with a narrowly anatomical/functional sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a cell or organism that has two flagella; a biciliated/bi-flagellated organism (used in biology).
A common biflagellate in freshwater habitats is Chlamydomonas.
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Verb 1
(rare) To furnish or equip (a cell or organism) with two flagella.
In some experimental setups, researchers biflagellate cells to study changes in swimming behavior.
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Adjective 1
having two flagella (whip-like appendages) used for locomotion or sensation, as describing cells or organisms.
Many biflagellate algae propel themselves using their two flagella.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 22:22