kleptosome

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noun

An organelle used to steal and encase organelles from cells of foreign organisms, and hijack them to use the stolen organelles as their own.

Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounkleptosome (plural kleptosomes)

plural kleptosomes

  1. An organelle used to steal and encase organelles from cells of foreign organisms, and hijack them to use the stolen organelles as their own.
    1. A membrane sack organelle found in the cells of the frilly green lettuce sea slug (Elysia crispata) used to contain and operate chloroplasts stolen from algae cells eaten by the slug, allowing the animal to photosynthesize.

Origin

klepto- + -some

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

kleptosome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kleptosome

MLA

“kleptosome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kleptosome. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kleptosome,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kleptosome.

Source: kleptosome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.