chromatophore

[ kruh-mat-uh-fawr, -fohr, kroh-muh-tuh‐ ]
/ krəˈmæt əˌfɔr, -ˌfoʊr, ˈkroʊ mə tə‐ /

noun

Zoology. a cell containing pigment, especially one that through contraction and expansion produces a temporary color, as in cuttlefishes.
Botany. one of the colored plastids in plant cells.

Origin of chromatophore

First recorded in 1860–65; chromato- + -phore

OTHER WORDS FROM chromatophore

chro·mat·o·phor·ic [kruh-mat-uh-fawr-ik, ‐for-ik, kroh-muh-tuh‐] /krəˌmæt əˈfɔr ɪk, ‐ˈfɒr ɪk, ˈkroʊ mə tə‐/, chro·ma·toph·or·ous [kroh-muh-tof-er-uh s] /ˌkroʊ məˈtɒf ər əs/, adjective

Words nearby chromatophore

chromatology, chromatolysis, chromatophil, chromatophilia, chromatophobia, chromatophore, chromatopsia, chromaturia, chrome, chrome alum, chrome dioxide

Example sentences from the Web for chromatophore

British Dictionary definitions for chromatophore

chromatophore
/ (ˈkrəʊmətəˌfɔː) /

noun

a cell in the skin of frogs, chameleons, etc, in which pigment is concentrated or dispersed, causing the animal to change colour
another name for chromoplast

Derived forms of chromatophore

chromatophoric or chromatophorous (ˌkrəʊməˈtɒfərəs), adjective

Medical definitions for chromatophore

chromatophore
[ krō-măt′ə-fôr′ ]

n.

A specialized pigment-bearing organelle in certain photosynthetic bacteria and cyanobacteria.
A pigment-bearing phagocyte found chiefly in the skin, mucous membrane, and choroid coat of the eye, as well as in melanomas. pigment cell
Variant ofchromophore

Other words from chromatophore

chro•mat′o•phor′ic (-fôr′ĭk) adj.