organelle

Definition

A specialized structure found inside cells that carries out a specific life process (e.g. ribosomes, vacuoles).

Etymology

From organ + -elle.

Example Sentences

• "Like organelles within a single cell, whole new specializations began to develop."
• "The close analogies between DNA-containing eukaryotic cell organelles and microbial symbionts require revision of classic cell theory, wrote Scwemmler and Schenk (1980) on introducing the field of endocytobiology."