SINCE 1828
organelle
noun
or·gan·elle
| \ ˌȯr-gə-ˈnel
\
\
Definition of organelle
: a specialized cellular part (such as a mitochondrion, chloroplast, or nucleus) that has a specific function and is considered analogous to an organ
Examples of organelle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those components, or organelles, characterize cells of the third branch, the eukaryotes. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Tentacled microbe could be missing link between simple cells and complex life," 8 Aug. 2019 Often called droplets or condensates, these organelles bring vital cellular molecules—such as proteins and RNA—close together at specific times, while keeping others apart. — Elizabeth O'day, Scientific American, "A Special Class of Proteins Offers Promising Targets for Drugs for Cancer and Alzheimer's," 1 July 2019 The nanotube method is far more elegant and even managed to insert genes into chloroplasts, the organelles in plant cells responsible for photosynthesis. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "An Advance in Bioengineering Could Pave the Way for Tomorrow’s Superplants," 12 Mar. 2019 Mirco 11 will study how the space influences the shape of this organelle, the behavior of which is of keen interest to fertility specialists. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Why There Are Sperm Swimming Around at the Space Station," 16 July 2018 Somehow the organelles will gravitate almost magically to the injured cells that need them and take up residence. — New York Times, "Dying Organs Restored to Life in Novel Experiments," 10 July 2018 Tiny organelles, called mitochondria, exist inside living cells and have their own DNA. — Virginia Gewin, The Atlantic, "A Handheld DNA Scanner Could Crack Down on Wildlife Identity Theft," 9 Feb. 2018 For plants, researchers often build two phylogenetic trees: one for the DNA stores in the nucleus of the plant's cells and one for the chlorophyll-producing organelles called chloroplasts, which have their own DNA. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Polynesians may not have gone grocery shopping in South America," 12 Apr. 2018 The organelles are where oxidative phosphorylation takes place, and breaking them up may make that metabolic pathway less efficient and promote glycolysis, the researchers suggest. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "To treat some diseases, researchers are putting immune cells on a diet," 29 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'organelle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for organelle
organelle
noun
or·gan·elle
| \ ˌȯr-gə-ˈnel\
Kids Definition of organelle
: a structure (as a lysosome) in a cell that performs a special function
organelle
noun
or·gan·elle
| \ ˌȯr-gə-ˈnel
\
\
Medical Definition of organelle
: a specialized cellular part (as a mitochondrion or nucleus) that has a specific function and is considered analogous to an organ
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