vacuole

[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.
Origin of vacuole
1850-55; < French; see vacuum, -ole1
Related forms
vacuolar
[vak-yoo-oh-ler, vak-yoo-uh-, vak-yuh-ler] /ˌvæk yuˈoʊ lər, ˈvæk yu ə-, ˈvæk yə lər/ (Show IPA), adjective
Examples from the web for vacuole
  • However, protists are given vacuole terminology and many of them are single celled animals essentially.
British Dictionary definitions for vacuole

vacuole

/ˈvækjʊˌəʊl/
noun
1.
(biology) a fluid-filled cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell
Derived Forms
vacuolar, adjective
vacuolate (ˈvækjʊəlɪt; -ˌleɪt) adjective
vacuolation (ˌvækjʊəˈleɪʃən) noun
Word Origin
C19: from French, literally: little vacuum, from Latin vacuum
Word Origin and History for vacuole
n.

1853, from French vacuole, from Latin vacuus "empty" (see vacuum).

vacuole in Medicine

vacuole vac·u·ole (vāk'yōō-ōl')
n.

  1. A small cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell, bound by a single membrane and containing water, food, or metabolic waste.

  2. A small space or cavity in a tissue.

vac'u·o'lar (-ō'lər, -lär') adj.
vacuole in Science
vacuole
  (vāk'y-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.