microfilaments
|mi-cro-fil-a-ments|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˌmaɪkroʊˈfɪləmənts/
🇬🇧
/ˌmaɪkrəʊˈfɪləmənts/
(microfilament)
cellular thread-like structure
Etymology
Etymology Information
'microfilament' originates from the combination of 'micro-' meaning 'small' and 'filament' meaning 'thread-like structure'.
Historical Evolution
The term 'microfilament' was coined in the 20th century to describe the small, thread-like structures observed in cells.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any small filamentous structure, but now it specifically denotes actin-based structures in cells.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Last updated: 2025/05/07 11:10