organelle

[ awr-guh-nel, awr-guh-nel ]

/ ˌɔr gəˈnɛl, ˈɔr gəˌnɛl /

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noun

Cell Biology. a specialized part of a cell having some specific function; a cell organ.

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Origin of organelle

1905–10; <New Latin organella, diminutive of Latin organumorgan; see -elle

Words nearby organelle

organ, organa, organ culture, organdie, organdy, organelle, organelles, organ grinder, organic, organic acid, organically

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use organelle in a sentence

An organelle is a structure inside a cell that has a specific job.
Scientists Say: Organelle|Bethany Brookshire|February 8, 2021|Science News For Students
It’s not clear yet how frequently this kind of horizontal genome transfer through organelle migration occurs in nature.
Plant Cells of Different Species Can Swap Organelles|Viviane Callier|January 20, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Once inside the cell, an organelle called a ribosome reads the mRNA sequence and translates it into a protein.
How does an mRNA vaccine work?|Maddie Bender|January 19, 2021|Popular-Science
When these energy-producing organelles are exposed to altered gravity or radiation, they essentially malfunction.
Spaceflight affects the human body in two major, peculiar ways|Paola Rosa-Aquino|November 25, 2020|Popular-Science

This is a specialized structure, or organelle, in a plant cell.
Explainer: How photosynthesis works|Bethany Brookshire|October 28, 2020|Science News For Students
But this soft and greedy subversive organelle is no match for the brilliance of our scientists!
The Fake Superbug Cure|Kent Sepkowitz|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for organelle

organelle

/ (ˌɔːɡəˈnɛl) /

noun

a structural and functional unit, such as a mitochondrion, in a cell or unicellular organism

Word Origin for organelle

C20: from New Latin organella, from Latin organum: see organ

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

Medical definitions for organelle

organelle

[ ôr′gə-nĕl′ ]

A differentiated structure within a cell, such as a mitochondrion, vacuole, or microsome, that performs a specific function.organoid

Scientific definitions for organelle

organelle

[ ôr′gə-nĕl′ ]

A structure or part that is enclosed within its own membrane inside a cell and has a particular function. Organelles are found only in eukaryotic cells and are absent from the cells of prokaryotes such as bacteria. The nucleus, the mitochondrion, the chloroplast, the Golgi apparatus, the lysosome, and the endoplasmic reticulum are all examples of organelles. Some organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, have their own genome (genetic material) separate from that found in the nucleus of the cell. Such organelles are thought to have their evolutionary origin in symbiotic bacteria or other organisms that have become a permanent part of the cell.