Definitions

1. noun

A small, dense, usually inorganic body found in the cell of a plant or a single-celled organism that plays a role in maintaining the cell’s orientation in space, often by settling at the bottom of the cell due to gravity.

“The statoliths in the plant’s cells helped it to adjust its growth to the gravitational forces.”

2. noun

In the inner ear of a vertebrate, a small calcium carbonate particle or granule that is embedded in a sensory cell of the vestibular apparatus and helps to maintain balance and orientation.

“The statoliths in the human inner ear respond to gravity and help with balance and equilibrium.”