cell wall

noun

: the usually rigid nonliving permeable wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae see cell illustration

Examples of cell wall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bubbles pry apart the mold's cell walls and collapse its protective structure from the inside out to kill it. — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 25 June 2026

These antibiotics work by interfering with the bacterial cell wall, killing the germ and clearing the infection. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 June 2026

This rapid heating causes the cell walls to rupture, leading to wilting of the foliage and ultimately killing the plants without completely incinerating them. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026

Because freezing breaks down the fruit’s cell walls, frozen berries release more liquid and create a looser, syrupier mixture. — Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cell wall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

cell wall

noun

: the firm nonliving layer that encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae

Medical Definition

cell wall

noun

: the usually rigid nonliving permeable wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae