Mitochondria
/ˌmaɪ.təˈkɒn.dri.ə/noun
Membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotic cells that generate most of the cell's usable energy.
Did you know?The word was coined in 1898 from Greek roots for “thread” and “granule,” because early microscopes made these energy organelles look like tiny threads or grains.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μίτος (mítos)
“thread”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χόνδρος (chóndros)
“grain, lump”
1898
German
Mitochondrien
“a term coined for threadlike cell granules”
Early 20th Century
English
mitochondria
“cell organelles seen as threadlike granules”
Modern English
English
mitochondria
“energy-producing organelles in cells”