| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
eukaryote or eucaryote (juːˈkærɪˌɒt) ![]() | |
| —n | |
| Compare prokaryote any member of the Eukarya, a domain of organisms having cells each with a distinct nucleus within which the genetic material is contained. Eukaryotes include protoctists, fungi, plants, and animals | |
| [from | |
| eucaryote or eucaryote | |
| —n | |
| [from | |
| eukaryotic or eucaryote | |
| —adj | |
| eucaryotic or eucaryote | |
| —adj | |
eukaryote eu·kar·y·ote or eu·car·y·ote (y&oomacr;-kār'ē-ōt, -ē-ət)
n.
A single-celled or multicellular organism whose cells contain a distinct membrane-bound nucleus.
eukaryote (y -kār'ē-ōt) Pronunciation Key
An organism whose cells contain a nucleus surrounded by a membrane and whose DNA is bound together by proteins (histones) into chromosomes. The cells of eukaryotes also contain an endoplasmic reticulum and numerous specialized organelles not present in prokaryotes, especially mitochondria, Golgi bodies, and lysosomes. The organelles are enclosed in a three-part membrane (called a unit membrane) consisting of a lipid layer sandwiched between two protein layers. All organisms except for bacteria and archaea are eukaryotes. Compare prokaryote. eukaryotic adjective |
An organism whose cells contain a nucleus. All multicelled organisms are eukaryotes, as is one superkingdom of single-celled organisms. Eukaryotes also have organelles enclosed by membranes. (Compare prokaryote.)
Note: Eukaryotes evolved in a process in which one early prokaryote consumed another, forming a more complex structure.
Note: The word eukaryote comes from the Greek for “true nucleus.”