Organelle
/ˌɔːr.ɡəˈnɛl/noun
A specialized structure within a cell that performs a specific function.
Did you know?*Organelle* was coined in the 19th century as a diminutive of *organ*, literally meaning a “little organ,” before becoming the standard term for cell parts like mitochondria and nuclei.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
órganon
“tool, instrument, implement; later also an organ of the body”
Latin
Lat
organum
“tool, instrument; musical organ”
Middle French
Fr
organe
“organ of the body; instrument”
19th Century
English
organelle
“a small organ; later, a specialized structure inside a cell”
Modern English
English
organelle
“a specialized structure within a cell that performs a specific function”
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