What does chromoplast mean?
A chromoplast is a type of plastid — an organelle found in the cells of plants and some algae — that contains pigments other than chlorophyll, most commonly carotenoids such as carotene and lycopene. These pigments give many fruits, flowers, roots, and autumn leaves their brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds: the scarlet of a ripe tomato, the orange of a carrot, and the gold of a fading leaf all reflect chromoplast activity. In many cases, chromoplasts actually develop from chloroplasts, which lose their chlorophyll and accumulate new pigments as fruit ripens or foliage senesces. Beyond adding colour, chromoplasts can influence how animals perceive ripe fruit, indirectly aiding seed dispersal. The word derives from Greek khroma ('colour') and plastos ('formed'), placing it alongside related terms like chloroplast and leucoplast in the vocabulary of cell biology. It remains a specialist term, appearing chiefly in botany and plant science rather than everyday language.
nounA coloured plastid found in the cells of plants and algae, other than a chloroplast, which synthesizes and stores pigments such as carotenoids; chromoplasts give many fruits, flowers, and autumn leaves their yellow, orange, or red colours.
- A coloured plastid in plant cells that stores pigments such as carotenoids, responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colouration of many fruits, flowers, and roots.
"The deep crimson of a ripe tomato is produced by lycopene-packed chromoplasts in its flesh."
"As the pepper matured, its chloroplasts gradually transformed into chromoplasts rich in carotene."
"Under the microscope, the petal's cells revealed dense clusters of chromoplasts responsible for the vivid orange hue."
Regular plural; countable in standard scientific usage, since individual organelles are referred to individually or in number.
"Ripe rose hips contain numerous chromoplasts that lend them their vivid scarlet colour."
That blazing red tomato on your counter isn't just ripening — it's actively converting its green chloroplasts into red pigment warehouses called chromoplasts, cell by cell.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chromoplast
The word chromoplast combines two Greek elements: khroma (χρῶμα), meaning 'colour', and plastos (πλαστός), meaning 'formed' or 'moulded' — the same root that gives us 'plastic'. It entered scientific usage in the nineteenth century as biologists developed the terminology of cellular structures, forming part of a systematic family of '-plast' terms for plastids distinguished by colour or function. Its Greek roots also underlie cognates such as 'chromatic' and 'chromosome', which share the element khroma.
How chromoplast is actually used
A technical term confined to botany, plant physiology, and cell biology; rarely encountered outside scientific writing. Pluralization follows the standard English pattern (chromoplasts). It belongs to a family of '-plast' terms (chloroplast, leucoplast, amyloplast) classified by pigment content or function.
Easily confused with chromoplast
A chloroplast is the green plastid containing chlorophyll that performs photosynthesis, whereas a chromoplast is a non-green plastid that stores yellow, orange, or red pigments.
A leucoplast is a colourless plastid used for storage of starches, oils, or proteins, while a chromoplast contains visible pigments.