basal body

American  

noun

Cell Biology.

1. a cylindrical organelle, within the cytoplasm of flagellated and ciliated cells, that contains microtubules and forms the base of a flagellum or cilium: identical in internal structure to a centriole.

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Etymology

Origin of basal body

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, I monitored my basal body temperature, weighing motherhood against the seriousness of our courtship.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021

Many FABMs do so by tracking physical signs of hormonal shifts, including changes in cervical fluid and a spike in basal body temperature.

From Scientific American • Apr. 25, 2019

A longitudinal study that followed 900 German women tracking both cervical mucus and basal body temperature over 20 years found that, under typical use, the strategy was 98.2 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.

From Slate • Sep. 19, 2018

Natural Cycles works by calculating which days of the month a woman is likely to be fertile based on information she enters about her menstrual cycle and basal body temperature.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2018

Exercise, greater muscle tone or eating a lot of protein, unsaturated fats or foods that are spicy or rich can elevate one’s basal body temperature, Dr. Paras says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2016