flag·el·late¹ / ˈflajəˌlāt/ • v. [tr.] flog (someone), either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification: he flagellated himself with branches.DERIVATIVES: flag·el·la·tion / ˌflajəˈlāshən/ n.flag·el·la·tor / -ˌlātər/ n.flag·el·la·to·ry / fləˈjeləˌtôrē/ adj.flag·el·late² / ˈflajələt; -ˌlāt/ Zool. • n. a protozoan that has one or more flagella used for swimming.• adj. (of a cell or single-celled organism) bearing one or more flagella: motile flagellate cells.

flagellate (flaj-ĕl-ayt) n. a type of protozoan with one or more flagella projecting from its body surface, by means of which it is able to swim. Some flagellates are parasites of humans. See trypanosomiasis, Leishmania, giardiasis, Trichomonas.

flagellate Any member of the class Mastigophora. Flagellates are protozoan that possesses, at some stage of their development, one or several whip-like structures (flagellum) for locomotion and sensation. There are two major groups; the phytoflagellates resemble plants (in that they obtain their energy through photosynthesis), the zooflagellates resemble animals (in that they obtain energy through feeding).