eukaryotic

American

[yoo-kar-ee-ot-ik] / yuˌkær iˈɒt ɪk /

Sometimes eucaryotic

adjective

Biology.

of, relating to, or characteristic of a eukaryote, an organism whose basic structural unit is a cell containing specialized organelles and a membrane-bound nucleus.

Some scientists believe that the greatest transition of life in the history of Earth is the evolution of eukaryotic cellular life forms from more primitive prokaryotes.

Etymology

Origin of eukaryotic

First recorded in 1955–60; eukaryot(e) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over time, it likely absorbed important genes from the host cell and gradually transformed into what we now recognize as the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.

From Science Daily

The alphaproteobacterium eventually evolved into the mitochondria, the structure inside eukaryotic cells that produces energy.

From Science Daily

More complex eukaryotic cells eventually evolved, giving rise to algae, fungi, plants and animals.

From Science Daily

RNA polymerase II, also called Pol II, is the enzyme responsible for transcribing protein-coding genes in eukaryotic cells.

From Science Daily

"Our findings thus illuminate a central principle of eukaryotic stress biology," says Beckmann.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023