Pilus
/ˈpaɪ.ləs/noun
A hairlike structure, especially the slender appendage found on the surface of some bacteria.
Did you know?In microbiology, pili can help bacteria attach to surfaces or exchange genetic material, making these “hairs” part of bacterial communication and evolution.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pīl-so-
“A reconstructed term associated with hair or felt; the exact prehistory is uncertain.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
pilus
“Hair, especially a hair of the body.”
Late Latin
Latin
pilus
“Hair or a hairlike fiber.”
17th Century
English
pilus
“A learned anatomical term modeled directly on Latin.”
19th–20th Century
Scientific English
pilus
“A hairlike bacterial appendage; the plural is pili.”
Modern English
English
pilus
“A bacterial surface filament involved in attachment or, in some types, DNA transfer.”