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motility

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 2:42 pm
by William Hupy
Mobility, motility? One of them has to go. How did it happen that two words with the same meaning and only one letter off both make it into English? I am certain there are other examples knowing the voracious appetite of our language.

Re: motility

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 8:36 pm
by Slava
They don't mean the same thing. Both refer to movement, but one, mobility, is the possibility of being moved, whereas the other, motility, is the capability of self-movement.

Lots of people may have mobile phones and love them, but I'm sure they would not appreciate motile ones. They'd never know where they were. :shock:

Re: motility

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:42 am
by Perry Lassiter
Mostly I have heard motility used in reference to body processes or parts.