axoneme

noun

ax·​o·​neme ˈak-sə-ˌnēm How to pronounce axoneme (audio)
: the fibrillar bundle of a flagellum or cilium that usually consists of nine pairs of microtubules arranged in a ring around a single central pair
axonemal adjective

Word History

Etymology

Greek axōn axis + nēma thread, from nēn to spin — more at needle

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of axoneme was in 1901

Dictionary Entries Near axoneme

Cite this Entry

“Axoneme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axoneme. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

axoneme

noun
ax·​o·​neme ˈak-sə-ˌnēm How to pronounce axoneme (audio)
: the fibrillar bundle of a flagellum or cilium that usually consists of nine pairs of microtubules in a ring around a single central pair
axonemal adjective

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