lysosome

[ lahy-suh-sohm ]

nounCell Biology.
  1. a cell organelle containing enzymes that digest particles and that disintegrate the cell after its death.

Origin of lysosome

1
First recorded in 1950–55; lyso- + -some3

Other words from lysosome

  • ly·so·so·mal, adjective

Words Nearby lysosome

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lysosome in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lysosome

lysosome

/ (ˈlaɪsəˌsəʊm) /


noun
  1. any of numerous small particles, containing digestive enzymes, that are present in the cytoplasm of most cells

Derived forms of lysosome

  • lysosomal, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for lysosome

lysosome

[ sə-sōm′ ]


  1. A cell organelle that is surrounded by a membrane, has an acidic interior, and contains hydrolytic enzymes that break down food molecules, especially proteins and other complex molecules. Lysosomes fuse with vacuoles to digest their contents. The digested material is then transported across the organelle's membrane for use in or transport out of the cell. See more at cell.

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