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.

Origin of vacuole

From French, dating back to 1850–55; see origin at vacuum, -ole1

OTHER WORDS FROM vacuole

vac·u·o·lar [vak-yoo-oh-ler, vak-yoo-uh-, vak-yuh-ler] /ˌvæk yuˈoʊ lər, ˈvæk yu ə-, ˈvæk yə lər/, adjective

Example sentences 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 forms of vacuole

vacuolar, adjective vacuolate (ˈvækjʊəlɪt, -ˌleɪt), adjective vacuolation (ˌvækjʊəˈleɪʃən), noun

Word Origin for vacuole

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

Medical definitions for vacuole

vacuole
[ văkyōō-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.

Other words from vacuole

vac′u•olar (lər, -lär′) adj.

Scientific definitions for vacuole

vacuole
[ văkyōō-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.