cell

cell · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, typically microscopic.

  2. 2.

    A small room in a prison or monastery.

  3. 3.

    A device that produces electricity through chemical reactions; a battery unit.

  4. 4.

    (informal) Short for cell phone or mobile phone.

  5. 5.

    A small group forming part of a larger organization, especially a secret one.

Forms

plural: cells

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    cell phone — a portable telephone
  • •
    cell division — the process by which cells reproduce
  • •
    stem cell — an undifferentiated cell that can develop into other cell types
  • •
    brain cell — (informal) intelligence
  • •
    padded cell — a room with soft walls for violent patients

Related words

See also: battery, biology, phone, prison
Synonyms: chamber, compartment, unit

Etymology

From Latin cella ("small room, storeroom, chamber"), related to celare ("to hide"). The biological sense was coined by Robert Hooke in 1665, who thought the structures he observed in cork resembled the small rooms of monks.