cell
/sel/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
The smallest basic unit of living things. All plants and animals are made of cells.
- The microscope showed tiny cells.
- Nerve cells send signals quickly.
- 2.
A small room in a prison or a monastery. It can also mean a small enclosed space.
- The prisoner stayed in a cell.
- The monks slept in separate cells.
- 3.
A small unit in a battery, spreadsheet, or table. In technology, it is one separate part of a larger system.
- Each battery cell stores energy.
- Enter the number in this cell.
Adinary Nuance
Use cell when you mean one small unit inside a larger whole. It is more specific than part or piece, because it suggests a complete tiny unit with a clear role. In science, cell is the standard word, not little living part. In prison talk, cell is the normal word for the room.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tế bào
- Spanish
- célula
- Chinese
- 细胞
- Japanese
- 細胞
- Korean
- 세포
Etymology
Cell comes from Latin cella, meaning 'small room' or 'storeroom'. English first used it in the Middle Ages, and the science meaning came later.
Common phrases
cell divisionblood cellcell phoneprison cell
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is cell a formal word in science writing?
- Yes. It is the standard word in biology and other science subjects.
- What is the difference between cell and compartment?
- A cell is usually a small unit with a special function. A compartment is a separate space or section.
- Can cell mean a mobile phone?
- Yes, in American English, but this use is less common in formal writing.