vacuole

vac·u·ole

noun \ˈva-kyə-ˌwōl\

Definition of VACUOLE

1

: a small cavity or space in the tissues of an organism containing air or fluid

2

: a cavity or vesicle in the cytoplasm of a cell usually containing fluid — see cell illustration

— vac·u·o·lar \ˌva-kyə-ˈwō-lər, -ˌlär\ adjective

Origin of VACUOLE

French, literally, small vacuum, from Latin vacuum

First Known Use: 1853

Other Cell Biology Terms

cytology, gamete, zygote

Rhymes with VACUOLE

aureole, banderole, bannerol, barcarole, barrel roll, buttonhole, cabriole, camisole, capriole, caracole, carmagnole, coffee roll, croquignole, cubbyhole, decontrol, Demerol, Dover sole, escarole, exit poll, farandole, finger hole, fumarole, girandole, girasole, Grand Guignol, honor roll, innersole, in the hole, Jackson Hole, jelly roll, kaiser roll, lemon sole, meadow vole, methanol, micromole, millimole, monopole, muster roll, on a roll, on the whole, oriole, ostiole, oversoul, ozone hole, petiole, pick-and-roll, pigeonhole, protocol, rabbit hole, rigmarole, rock and roll, Seminole, totem pole, tracheole, water hole

vac·u·ole

noun \ˈvak-yə-ˌwōl\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of VACUOLE

1

: a small cavity or space in the tissues of an organism containing air or fluid

2

: a cavity or vesicle in the cytoplasm of a cell containing fluid

Illustration of VACUOLE

vacuole

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Space within a cell that is empty of cytoplasm, lined with a membrane, and filled with fluid. Especially in protozoans, vacuoles perform functions such as storage, ingestion, digestion, excretion, and expulsion of excess water. The large central vacuoles often found in plant cells enable them to attain a large size without accumulating the bulk that would make metabolism difficult.