vacuole

American  

[vak-yoo-ohl] / ˈvæk yuˌoʊl /

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.

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vacuole British  

/ ˈvækjʊˌəʊl, ˌvækjʊəˈleɪʃən, -ˌleɪt, ˈvækjʊəlɪt /

noun

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

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vacuole Scientific  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• vacuolar
  adjective
• vacuolate
  adjective
• vacuolation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vacuole

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

Explanation

A cell is a tiny world of elements, one of which is the vacuole. Found in both plant and animal cells, a vacuole is a fluid-filled pocket in the cell's cytoplasm that serves varying functions depending on the cell's requirements. Look at the word vacuole. Reminds you of "vacuum," doesn't it? That's because both words comes from the Latin word vacuus, which means "empty." In fact, vacuole comes from the French word that means "little vacuum." However, whereas a "vacuum" refers to an empty space, the vacuole usually contains a watery fluid. It is a space in the cell that has no specific purpose, but usually functions as a storage bin for everything from water and food to waste products.

Related Words

• bacterium
• egg
• germ
• unit