motility

noun

mo·​til·​i·​ty mō-ˈti-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being motile : capability of movement

Actin is found in almost all kinds of non-muscle cells where it is thought to have an important role in cell motility.

—Toshio Yanagida et al.

Checks shape, concentration, motility, and number of sperm.

—Michael Gold

2

: the ability of the muscles of the digestive tract to undergo contraction

… some GERD patients have impaired gut motility, meaning that their stomachs empty too slowly.

—Andrew Weil

"Esophageal motility" refers to the action of the esophagus walls' musculature in propelling food downward to the stomach.

—Paul G. Donohue

Patients with scleroderma may have abnormal motility of the small intestine …

—Hani C. Soudah et al.

Examples of motility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, if your body is working hard to break down a meal before bed, Sarkar points out that food and subsequent digestion can lead to gut motility (food moving through the GI tract) and insulin secretion—both of which can mess with your sleep. —Julia Sullivan, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026

Eric delivered a decent spiel about sperm motility as a proxy for health and how sperm racing drew attention to important issues. —Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026

Low motility, for instance, can indicate high alcohol or marijuana consumption, while low volume can point to issues of obstruction. —Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026

The Mediterranean-style diet is linked with higher pregnancy rates and studies on sperm health show that nutrition, exercise, sleep, and avoiding toxins improve sperm count, motility, and DNA integrity. —Rachel Hosie, SELF, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for motility

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• fertility
• fragility
• futility
• gentility
• hostility

Medical Definition

motility

noun

mo·​til·​i·​ty mō-ˈtil-ət-ē 

plural motilities

1

: the quality or state of being motile : capability of movement

sperm motility

2

: the ability of the muscles of the digestive tract to undergo contraction

Patients with scleroderma may have abnormal motility of the small intestine …

—Hani C. Soudah et al.