hair cell

noun

: a cell with hairlike processes
especially : one of the sensory cells in the auditory epithelium of the organ of Corti

Examples of hair cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hearing is a complex process that involves thousands of sensory hair cells in the inner ear. WIRED, 20 Oct. 2023 Chickens, as well as certain other birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, can indefinitely regenerate their hearing by producing new hair cells inside the cochlea, the cavity of the inner ear responsible for interpreting sound. Ramsha Zubairi, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023 Many genetic mutations linked to deafness cause the hair cells in the inner ear to die, but OTOF mutations leave these cells intact. WIRED, 20 Oct. 2023 What many people do not know is that exposure to loud sounds over time can damage the tiny hair cells of the inner ear. Cory Portnuff, Discover Magazine, 29 Sep. 2023 Red light reduces inflammation and increases energy in our skin and hair cells. Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 4 Aug. 2023 Lowering temperatures constricts blood flow, thus reducing the amount of medication that enters hair cells. Mike Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2023 Actually, the fluid continues to move — bumping into minuscule hair cells and sending messages to the brain — even after the rest of the body comes to a stop. Marisa Sloan, Discover Magazine, 15 Apr. 2023 But these hair cells are neither an inner nor an outer hair cell. Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 9 May 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hair cell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hair cell was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near hair cell

Cite this Entry

“Hair cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hair%20cell. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Medical Definition

hair cell

noun
: a cell with hairlike processes
especially : one of the sensory cells in the auditory epithelium of the organ of Corti

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