multicellularityn.
/ˌmʌltɪsɛljᵿˈlarᵻti/, U.S. /ˈˌməltiˌsɛljəˈlɛrədi/, /ˈˌməltaɪˌsɛljəˈlɛrədi/; see also multi- comb. form. Biology.
The state of being multicellular.
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unicellularity1896
multicellularity1900
1900 Ann. Bot. 14 680 Thus while the whole is clearly a colony of unicellular units, it has yet attained the morphological correlations of intimate multicellularity.
1972 Sci. Amer. Dec. 95/1 His Mesozoa may yet provide us with valuable evidence on the evolution of multicellularity and on the mechanisms of differentiation and development.
1992 S. Rose Making of Memory 165 Multicellularity makes possible specialization.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1900