multicelledadj.
/ˌmʌltɪˈsɛld/, U.S. /ˌməltiˈsɛld/; see also multi- comb. form. Biology.
= multicellular adj.
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the world > life > biology > organism > organisms by number or kind of cells > [adjective]
monocellular1854
multicellular1857
unicellular1858
monoplastic1877
unicelled1877
multicelled1884
acellular1886
monoplastid1889
tricellular1891
single-celled1899
mixed-celled1908
microcellular1909
1884 Amer. Naturalist 18 143 Colonial organisms occur abundantly in the single-celled field of life... In the multicelled field it is indicated throughout the vegetable kingdom.
1948 Evolution 2 346.2 Virtually all ecologic niches that multicelled animals could then occupy would have been available.
1968 Punch 31 July 157/2 Some urge..has merged it [sc. the public] into one worldwide, multicelled acerebral organism.
2000 C. Tudge Variety of Life ii. v. 194 Zygotes..undergo cleavage—meaning that the cell divides and re-divides to form a multicelled embryo.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1884