What does vacuole mean?
A vacuole is a fluid-filled, membrane-bound compartment inside a cell. In most plant cells, a large central vacuole occupies much of the cell and stores water, nutrients, ions, pigments, and waste products; it also maintains internal pressure, helping the cell and its surrounding tissues remain firm. Vacuoles occur in other organisms as well, including some protists and animals. A food vacuole helps engulf and digest material, while a contractile vacuole in certain freshwater protists expels excess water. The word is mainly used in biology and related scientific writing, though it also occurs in descriptions of cell structure in general education. Vacuoles are distinct from vesicles: vacuoles are generally larger cellular compartments, while vesicles are smaller membrane-bound structures used chiefly for transport and storage. Because plant cells often contain one especially prominent vacuole, the term is frequently encountered in discussions of plant growth, water regulation, and cellular organization.
nounA membrane-bound, fluid-filled compartment within a cell. Vacuoles store substances and may also be involved in digestion, waste removal, and maintaining internal pressure.
- A membrane-bound, fluid-filled compartment within a cell, especially the large central vacuole of plant cells or the food and contractile vacuoles of some other organisms.
"The central vacuole of the plant cell expanded as water entered it."
"The central vacuole stores water and dissolved substances while helping the plant cell remain firm."
"The protozoan expelled excess water through a contractile vacuole."
The standard plural is “vacuoles.” When a cell contains several such compartments, each compartment is described as a vacuole.
"The microscope revealed numerous vacuoles containing stored material."
A plant cell's central vacuole can swell with water until it occupies most of the cell's volume.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vacuole come from?
The word entered English through French vacuole, a diminutive of Latin vacuolus, meaning “a small empty space.” Latin vacuolus was derived from vacuus, “empty, free,” from the same broad root found in English words such as vacuum, vacant, and vacuous. The term was adopted in biological writing for a fluid-filled space within a cell and was later understood as a compartment bounded by a membrane.
Related word forms
How vacuole is actually used
This is primarily a biological term used in formal scientific and educational contexts. In general plant biology, “vacuole” usually refers to the central vacuole; animal cells may contain smaller vacuoles or similar membrane-bound compartments.
Easily confused with vacuole
A vacuole is a relatively large membrane-bound compartment within a cell, whereas a vesicle is typically a smaller sac that transports or stores substances.