microvillus

M3I1C3R1O1V4I1L1L1U1S1

noun

Any of many fingerlike extensions on the surfaces of many cells, consisting of the proteins actin, fimbrin, and villin.

OriginEnglish villus ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) ← Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounmicrovillus (plural microvilli or microvillae)

plural microvilli · plural microvillae

  1. Any of many fingerlike extensions on the surfaces of many cells, consisting of the proteins actin, fimbrin, and villin.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Englishvillus
  6. Englishmicrovillus

From micro- + villus.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic زُغَيْبَة
  • زُغَيْبَة (zuḡayba)fingerlike extension
Czech mikroklk
  • mikroklkfingerlike extension
French microvillosité
  • microvillositéfingerlike extension
German Mikrovillus, Mikrozotte
  • Mikrovillusfingerlike extension
  • Mikrozottefingerlike extension
Hindi सूक्ष्मांकुर
  • सूक्ष्मांकुर (sūkṣmāṅkur)fingerlike extension
Portuguese microvilosidade
  • microvilosidadefingerlike extension
Swedish mikrovillus
  • mikrovillusfingerlike extension
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“microvillus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microvillus. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “microvillus,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microvillus.

Source: microvillus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.