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prokaryote

(also procaryote)
Definition of prokaryote

noun

Biology
  • a microscopic single-celled organism which has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles, including the bacteria and cyanobacteria. Compare with eukaryote.

Derivatives

prokaryotic

Pronunciation: /-ˈɒtɪk/
adjective

Origin:

1960s: from pro-2 'before' + Greek karuon 'nut, kernel' + -ote as in zygote

prokaryote in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of prokaryote in the US English dictionary
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