vacuole

[ vak-yoo-ohl ]

noun

, Biology.

1. a membrane-bound cavity within a cell, often containing a watery liquid or secretion.
2. a minute cavity or vesicle in organic tissue.

vacuole

/ ˌvækjʊəˈleɪʃən; ˈvækjʊəlɪt; -ˌleɪt; ˈvækjʊˌəʊl /

noun

1. biology a fluid-filled cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell

vacuole

/ văk′yo̅o̅-ōl′ /

1. 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.
2. See more at cell

Derived Forms

• ˌvacuˈolar, adjective
• vacuolate, adjective
• vacuolation, noun

Other Words From

• vac·u·o·lar [vak-yoo-, oh, -ler, vak, -yoo-, uh, -, vak, -y, uh, -ler], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vacuole¹

From French, dating back to 1850–55; vacuum, -ole ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of vacuole¹

C19: from French, literally: little vacuum, from Latin vacuum

Example Sentences

Checking the ill animals’ brains revealed swathes of unnatural microscopic holes, or vacuoles.

From Science News

This is done by pulsation of the vacuole, which ultimately bursts, passing fluid waste to the outside.

From Project Gutenberg

These masses of food seem to be inclosed within a little area containing fluid, called a vacuole.

From Project Gutenberg

Waste nitrogenous products formed within the cell when work is done are passed out by means of the contractile vacuole.

From Project Gutenberg

Spores with two polar-capsules, and without an iodinophilous vacuole in the sporoplasm.

From Project Gutenberg

Contractile vacuole absent; the nucleus is spherical and contains many large chromatin granules.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bacterium
• egg
• germ
• unit