Karyosome
/ˈkær.i.ə.soʊm/noun
A dense body of chromatin within a cell nucleus, often referring to the nucleolus or a nucleolus-like structure.
Did you know?Karyosome combines Greek karyon, “nut or kernel,” with sōma, “body,” because early observers compared the nucleus to a compact body enclosed within the cell.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ker-
“Head, top, or rounded object; a proposed ancestral source for Greek karyon”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κάρυον (karyon)
“Nut or kernel, especially a hard-shelled fruit”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σῶμα (sōma)
“Body or bodily form”
19th Century
New Latin
karyosoma
“A body associated with the cell nucleus, formed from Greek karyon and sōma”
20th Century
Scientific English
karyosome
“A dense chromatin body within a nucleus”