chemotaxis

[ kee-moh-tak-sis, kem-oh- ]
/ ˌki moʊˈtæk sɪs, ˌkɛm oʊ- /

noun Biology.

oriented movement toward or away from a chemical stimulus.

Origin of chemotaxis

First recorded in 1890–95; chemo- + -taxis

OTHER WORDS FROM chemotaxis

che·mo·tac·tic [kee-moh-tak-tik, kem-oh-] /ˌki moʊˈtæk tɪk, ˌkɛm oʊ-/, adjective che·mo·tac·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby chemotaxis

chemosterilize, chemosurgery, chemosynthesis, chemosynthetic bacteria, chemotactic, chemotaxis, chemotaxonomy, chemotherapeutics, chemotherapy, chemotroph, chemotropism

Example sentences from the Web for chemotactic

  • Life is not the product or the slave of any chemotactic forces, but their maker and steersman.

    Parallel Paths |Thomas William Rolleston

British Dictionary definitions for chemotactic

chemotaxis
/ (ˌkɛməʊˈtæksɪs) /

noun

the movement of a microorganism or cell in response to a chemical stimulus

Derived forms of chemotaxis

chemotactic, adjective chemotactically, adverb

Medical definitions for chemotactic (1 of 2)

chemotactic
[ kē′mō-tăk′tĭk ]

adj.

Of or relating to chemotaxis.

Medical definitions for chemotactic (2 of 2)

chemotaxis
[ kē′mō-tăk′sĭs ]

n.

The characteristic movement or orientation of an organism or cell along a chemical concentration gradient either toward or away from the chemical stimulus. chemotropism

Scientific definitions for chemotactic

chemotaxis
[ kē′mō-tăk′sĭs, kĕm′ō- ]

The characteristic movement or orientation of an organism or cell along a chemical concentration gradient either toward or away from the chemical stimulus. Bacteria exhibit chemotaxis when they move toward a source of nutrients.