Definitions for: Cell


[n] the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; cells may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals
[n] a device that delivers an electric current as the result of a chemical reaction
[n] a room where a prisoner is kept
[n] small room is which a monk or nun lives
[n] any small compartment; "the cells of a honeycomb"
[n] a small unit serving as the nucleus of a larger political movement



Webster (1913) Definition: Cell, n. [OF. celle, fr. L. cella; akin to celare to
hide, and E. hell, helm, conceal. Cf. Hall.]
1. A very small and close apartment, as in a prison or in a
monastery or convent; the hut of a hermit.

The heroic confessor in his cell. --Macaulay.

2. A small religious house attached to a monastery or
convent. ``Cells or dependent priories.'' --Milman.

3. Any small cavity, or hollow place.

4. (Arch.)
(a) The space between the ribs of a vaulted roof.
(b) Same as Cella.

5. (Elec.) A jar of vessel, or a division of a compound
vessel, for holding the exciting fluid of a battery.

6. (Biol.) One of the minute elementary structures, of which
the greater part of the various tissues and organs of
animals and plants are composed.

Note: All cells have their origin in the primary cell from
which the organism was developed. In the lowest animal
and vegetable forms, one single cell constitutes the
complete individual, such being called unicelluter
orgamisms. A typical cell is composed of a semifluid
mass of protoplasm, more or less granular, generally
containing in its center a nucleus which in turn
frequently contains one or more nucleoli, the whole
being surrounded by a thin membrane, the cell wall. In
some cells, as in those of blood, in the am[oe]ba, and
in embryonic cells (both vegetable and animal), there
is no restricting cell wall, while in some of the
unicelluliar organisms the nucleus is wholly wanting.
See Illust. of Bipolar.

Air cell. See Air cell.

Cell development (called also cell genesis, {cell
formation}, and cytogenesis), the multiplication, of
cells by a process of reproduction under the following
common forms; segmentation or fission, gemmation or
budding, karyokinesis, and endogenous multiplication. See
Segmentation, Gemmation, etc.

Cell theory. (Biol.) See Cellular theory, under
Cellular.


Cell (s[e^]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Celled (s[e^]ld).]
To place or inclose in a cell. ``Celled under ground.'' [R.]
--Warner.

Synonyms: cadre, cubicle, electric cell, jail cell, prison cell

See Also: acaryote, akaryocyte, akaryote, animate thing, archespore, archesporium, arthrospore, being, blastema, blastomere, bullpen, cell membrane, cell nucleus, cell organ, cell wall, cellblock, compartment, convent, cooler, cytoplasm, detention cell, detention centre, dungeon, electrical device, electrolytic cell, embryonic cell, energid, fertilized ovum, flagellated cell, formative cell, fuel cell, galvanic cell, gametocyte, germ cell, guardroom, hold, karyon, keep, Kupffer's cell, Leydig cell, Leydig's cell, living thing, monastery, mother cell, nucleus, organelle, organism, photovoltaic cell, plasma membrane, polar body, political movement, political unit, primary cell, protoplast, reproductive cell, room, secondary cell, Sertoli cell, Sertoli's cell, sex cell, solar cell, somatic cell, storage cell, sweatbox, tank, vacuole, voltaic cell, ward, zygote

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