eukaryotic

American  

[yoo-kar-ee-ot-ik] / juˌkær iˈɒt ɪk /

Sometimes eucaryotic

adjective

Biology.

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a eukaryote, an organism whose basic structural unit is a cell containing specialized organelles and a membrane-bound nucleus.

   Some scientists believe that the greatest transition of life in the history of Earth is the evolution of eukaryotic cellular life forms from more primitive prokaryotes.

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Etymology

Origin of eukaryotic

First recorded in 1955–60; eukaryot(e) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eukaryotic

Even in ideal locations, finding eukaryotic microfossils is an enormous challenge.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

"The definition of a protist is loose -- essentially it is any eukaryotic organism which is not an animal, plant, or fungus," said Dr. McGowan.

From Science Daily ● May 7, 2026

The alphaproteobacterium eventually evolved into the mitochondria, the structure inside eukaryotic cells that produces energy.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2026

RNA polymerase II, also called Pol II, is the enzyme responsible for transcribing protein-coding genes in eukaryotic cells.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 1, 2025

Spirochetes, like the ones attached to M. paradoxa, joined up and became the cilia of eukaryotic cells.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas