flagellate

[ verb flaj-uh-leyt; adjective noun flaj-uh-lit, -leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, flag·el·lat·ed, flag·el·lat·ing.

1. to whip; scourge; flog; lash.

adjective

1. Also flagellated. Biology. having flagella.
2. Botany. producing filiform runners or runnerlike branches, as the strawberry.
3. pertaining to or caused by flagellates.

noun

1. any protozoan of the phylum (or class) Mastigophora, having one or more flagella.

flagellate

verb

1. tr to whip; scourge; flog

adjective

1. possessing one or more flagella
2. resembling a flagellum; whiplike

noun

1. a flagellate organism, esp any protozoan of the phylum Zoomastigina

flagellate

/ flăj′ə-lāt′ /

1. Any of various protozoans of the subphylum Mastigophora that move by means of one or more flagella. Some flagellates can make food by photosynthesis (such as euglenas and volvox), and are often classified as green algae by botanists. Others are symbiotic or parasitic (such as trypanosomes). Flagellates are related to amoebas.
2. Also called mastigophoran

Derived Forms

• ˌflagelˈlation, noun

Other Words From

• flag·el·la·tor noun
• flag·el·la·to·ry [flaj, -, uh, -l, uh, -tawr-ee], adjective
• mul·ti·flag·el·late adjective
• mul·ti·flag·el·lat·ed adjective
• non·flag·el·late adjective
• non·flag·el·lat·ed adjective
• pre·flag·el·late adjective
• pre·flag·el·lat·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flagellate¹

1615–25; < Latin flagellātus, past participle of flagellāre to whip. See flagellum, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Blood splatters like raindrops from the tattooed body of a Filipino penitent as he flagellates himself to atone for sins.

From Seattle Times

The amoeboid cells of R. marina, characterized by their near immobility, can produce flagellated cells with two rearward-extending flagella through budding under conditions of prey scarcity.

From Science Daily

But she also didn’t flagellate herself for the struggle.

From Washington Post

"This feeding mode is unique, and demonstrates how pico-sized flagellates can feed on larger cells, which is often not considered in the modelling of microbial food webs."

From Salon

What the party shouldn’t do, though, is waste time flagellating its leadership for failing to find the magic message that would have saved the country from a Trumpian takeover.

From Washington Post