cell wall

noun

: the usually rigid nonliving permeable wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae see cell illustration

Examples of cell wall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ferulic acid is a powerful antioxidant found naturally in the cell walls of plants like oats, rice bran, and apples. —Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 10 Oct. 2024

Blueberries can be frozen, says Benson; however, the freezing process, which causes the cell walls of the berry to burst, results in a changed texture. —Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2024

One way cooking makes some nutrients more accessible is by breaking down the cell walls of asparagus. —Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024

In 2002, scientists isolated a strain of MRSA that had become resistant to vancomycin, the drug of choice for MRSA infections, by modifying part of its cell wall so that the drug could no longer latch on. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cell wall

noun

: the firm nonliving layer that encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae

Medical Definition

cell wall

noun

: the usually rigid nonliving permeable wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae