micronucleus

M3I1C3R1O1N1U1C3L1E1U1S1

noun

A small nucleus.

OriginEnglish nucleus ← Latin nucleu ← Proto-Italic *knuks →
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounmicronucleus (plural micronuclei)

plural micronuclei

  1. biologyA small nucleus.
  2. biologyThe smaller of the nuclei of a ciliate protozoan (that contains genetic material).

    These binucleated forms have one macronucleus functional and another sexual micronucleus which is not functional in the ordinary life processes of the species.

    1890, American Philosophical Society, Proceedings

Origin

  1. Englishmicro-
  2. Proto-Italic*knuks
  3. Latinnux
  4. Latinnucleu
  5. Englishnucleus
  6. Englishmicronucleus

From micro- + nucleus.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

micronucleus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronucleus

MLA

“micronucleus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronucleus. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “micronucleus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronucleus.

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