vacuole
[ vak-yoo-ohl ]
/ ˈvæk yuˌoʊl /
noun Biology.
a membrane-bound cavity within a cell, often containing a watery liquid or secretion.
a minute cavity or vesicle in organic tissue.
Nearby words
vacua, vacuity, vacuolate, vacuolated, vacuolation, vacuole, vacuous, vacuously, vacutome, vacuum, vacuum activity
Related formsvac·u·o·lar [vak-yoo-oh-ler, vak-yoo-uh-, vak-yuh-ler] /ˌvæk yuˈoʊ lər, ˈvæk yu ə-, ˈvæk yə lər/, adjective
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for vacuole
British Dictionary definitions for vacuole
vacuole
/ (ˈvækjʊˌəʊl) /
noun
biology a fluid-filled cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell
Derived Formsvacuolar, adjectivevacuolate (ˈvækjʊəlɪt, -ˌleɪt), adjectivevacuolation (ˌvækjʊəˈleɪʃən), noun
Word Origin for vacuole
C19: from French, literally: little vacuum, from Latin vacuum
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for vacuole
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for vacuole
vacuole
[ văk′yōō-ōl′ ]
n.
A small cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell, bound by a single membrane and containing water, food, or metabolic waste.
A small space or cavity in a tissue.
Related formsvac′u•o′lar (-ō′lər, -lär′) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for vacuole
vacuole
[ văk′yōō-ōl′ ]
A cavity within the cytoplasm of a cell, surrounded by a single membrane and containing fluid, food, or metabolic waste. Vacuoles are found in the cells of plants, protists, and some primitive animals. In mature plant cells, there is usually one large vacuole which occupies a large part of the cell's volume and is filled with a liquid called cell sap. The cell sap stores food reserves, pigments, defensive toxins, and waste products to be expelled or broken down. In the cells of protists, however, there may be many small specialized vacuoles, such as digestive vacuoles for the absorption of captured food and contractile vacuoles for the expulsion of excess water or wastes. See more at cell.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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