Vesicle Organelle
/ˈvɛsɪkəl ˌɔːrɡəˈnɛl/noun
A membrane-bound, sac-like structure within a cell that stores or transports substances.
Did you know?“Organelle” literally means a small instrument or organ, while “vesicle” comes from the Latin word for bladder, giving the term an unexpectedly anatomical image.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*werg-
“To do or work; the ancient root behind the idea of an instrument or function.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὄργανον (organon)
“Tool, instrument, or bodily organ.”
Classical Latin
Latin
organum
“An instrument, tool, or organ.”
Classical Latin
Latin
vesica
“Bladder or bladder-like sac.”
Late Latin
Latin
vesicula
“Small bladder; diminutive of vesica.”
19th Century
French/English
organelle; vesicle
“Organelle emerged as a term for a small organ-like cell structure, while vesicle referred to a small sac or cavity.”
Modern English
English
vesicle organelle
“A cellular sac that encloses, stores, or transports materials such as proteins and neurotransmitters.”