# flagellum

> English word · Noun · IPA /fləˈd͡ʒɛləm/ · frequency rank #83,252

## Definitions
1. In protists, a long, whiplike membrane-enclosed organelle used for locomotion or feeding.
2. In bacteria, a long, whiplike proteinaceous appendage, used for locomotion.
3. A whip.

## Etymology
From Latin flagellum (“whip”), diminutive of flagrum.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/flagellum