prokaryote

 
Pronunciation: /prəʊˈkarɪəʊt, -ɒt/
(also procaryote)

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