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

As your tomatoes grow in size, more cells with more cell walls are needed. — Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026

Postbiotics are short chain fatty acids, enzymes and cell wall parts. — Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Chopping, blending, and cooking break down plant cell walls, making nutrients easier to access, explains Wood. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 13 July 2026

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

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