hair cell

noun

Any of the sensory receptors of both the auditory system and the vestibular system in all vertebrates.

“In mammals, the auditory hair cells are located within the organ of Corti on a thin basilar membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear.”

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Meanings

nounhair cell (plural hair cells)

plural hair cells

  1. Any of the sensory receptors of both the auditory system and the vestibular system in all vertebrates.

    In mammals, the auditory hair cells are located within the organ of Corti on a thin basilar membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear.

Origin

Referring to the tufts of stereocilia that protrude from the apical surface of the cell, a structure known as the hair bundle, into the scala media, a fluid-filled tube within the cochlea.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish karvasolu
  • karvasolutype of sensory receptor
Portuguese célula ciliada
  • célula ciliadatype of sensory receptor
Cite this entry
APA

hair cell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hair%20cell

MLA

“hair cell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hair%20cell. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hair cell,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hair%20cell.

Source: hair cell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.