contractile vacuole
noun Cell Biology.
a membrane-enveloped cellular organelle, found in many microorganisms, that periodically expands, filling with water, and then contracts, expelling its contents to the cell exterior: thought to be important in maintaining hydrostatic equilibrium.
Nearby words
contractarianism, contracted, contracted kidney, contracted pelvis, contractile, contractile vacuole, contraction, contraction joint, contractive, contractor, contractual
Origin of contractile vacuole
First recorded in 1875–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019