- (n.pl.) Small, generally microscopic, vibrating appendages lining certain organs, as the air passages of the higher animals, and in the lower animals often covering also the whole or a part of the exterior. They are also found on some vegetable organisms. In the Infusoria, and many larval forms, they are locomotive organs.
- (n.pl.) The eyelashes.
- (n.pl.) Small, vibratory, swimming organs, somewhat resembling true cilia, as those of Ctenophora.
- (n.pl.) Hairlike processes, commonly marginal and forming a fringe like the eyelash.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). cilia. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/cilia/definitions/1987460 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "cilia" http://smartdefine.org/cilia/definitions/1987460 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, cilia, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/cilia/definitions/1987460>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "cilia" 27 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/cilia/definitions/1987460> |