Main Entry: el·e·men·ta·ry body

Pronunciation: \ˌel-ə-ˌment-ə-rē-, -ˌmen-trē-\

Function: noun

: an infectious particle of any of several microorganisms ; especially : a chlamydial cell of an extracellular infectious form that attaches to receptors on the membrane of the host cell and is taken up by endocytosis—compare reticulate body