enucleation

[ih-noo-klee-ey-shuhn, -nyoo-]

noun

1. Biology.,  removal or elimination of the nucleus of a cell.

   Immature oocytes were obtained from hormone-stimulated goats and matured for 22 hours before enucleation.

2. Surgery.,  removal of an enclosed mass or body, such as a cyst, eyeball, or tumor, while leaving it whole.

   Enucleation of the cyst, along with removal of the tooth, is the treatment of choice.

   In some cases the surgeon may have to remove the eye, a procedure called enucleation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of enucleation¹

First recorded in 1610–20, for an earlier sense; equivalent to enucleat(e) ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )