Chemotactic

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Chemotaxis \Chem`o*tax"is\, n. Formerly also Chemiotaxis
  \Chem`i*o*tax"is\ [Chemical + Gr. ? arrangement, fr. ? to
     arrange.] (Biol.)
     The sensitiveness exhibited by small free-swimming organisms,
     as bacteria, zoospores of alg[ae], etc., to chemical
     substances held in solution. They may be attracted ({positive


     chemotaxis}) or repelled ({negative chemotaxis}). --
     {Chem`o*tac"tic}, a. -- {Chem`o*tac"tic*al*ly}, adv.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.] chemotherapeutic