pilus
/ˈpʌɪləs/noun
Microbiology. A proteinaceous filamentous structure projecting from the surface of a bacterium or other microorganism; specifically (more fully sex pilus) any of those present singly or in small numbers on the surface of Gram-negative bacteria, which are encoded by conjugative plasmids and play a role in conjugation.
Origin
Mid 18th century (in an earlier sense). From scientific Latin pilus from classical Latin pilus hair.
- shield fern
- Shield fever
- shield law
- shieldless
- shield-tailed snake
- shieldtail snake
- shield volcano
- shieling
- shift
- shiftable
- shift dress
- shifter
- shift for oneself
- shiftily
- shiftiness
- shifting
- shifting agriculture
- shifting cultivation
- shifting sands
- shift key
- shiftless
- shiftlessly
- shiftlessness
- shift lever
- shift one's ground