cellular

1 of 2

adjective

cel·​lu·​lar ˈsel-yə-lər 

1

a

: of, relating to, or consisting of cells

a cellular structure

cellular growth

b

: cell-mediated

cellular immunity

2

: containing cavities : having a porous texture

cellular rocks

3

: of, relating to, or being a radiotelephone system in which a geographical area (such as a city) is divided into small sections each served by a transmitter of limited range

cellular phones

cellularity

ˌsel-yə-ˈler-ə-tē 

-ˈla-rə-

noun

cellular

2 of 2

noun

: cell phone

Examples of cellular in a Sentence

Adjective

Researchers are observing the course of the disease at the cellular level.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Over the summer, the 2025 Del Norte High graduate was named a Davidson Fellow for discovering a key cellular pathway that could be targeted to treat diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, such as Parkinson’s and diabetes. —Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025

Beets are full of antioxidants that help protect cellular health and anti-inflammatory compounds that benefit your immune health. —Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2025

Noun

Starshield, by contrast, is using a much lower frequency range that probably only allows for the transmission of data at rates closer to 3G cellular, Tilley says. —Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025

While this issue hasn’t affected my cellular, maybe this change has something to do with it? —PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

New Latin cellularis, from cellula living cell, from Latin, diminutive of cella small room

First Known Use

Adjective

1716, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1985, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cellular

• cellular foam
• cellular respiration
• cellular suicide
• cellular telephone

Rhymes for cellular

• acellular
• subcellular
• extracellular
• intercellular
• intracellular
• multicellular
• unicellular
• hepatocellular

Kids Definition

cellular

adjective

cel·​lu·​lar

ˈsel-yə-lər

1

: of, relating to, or consisting of cells

2

: of, relating to, or being a radiotelephone system in which a geographical area (as a city) is divided into small sections each served by a transmitter of limited range

cellular phones

Medical Definition

cellular

adjective

cel·​lu·​lar ˈsel-yə-lər 

1

: of, relating to, or consisting of cells

2

: cell-mediated

cellular immunity

cellularity

ˌsel-yə-ˈlar-ət-ē 

noun

plural cellularities