cell
Meaning: The smallest unit of a living organism; a small room; a unit of a battery
The word 'cell' has several meanings: the basic unit of life in biology, a small room (especially in a prison or monastery), a device that converts chemical energy to electricity (battery cell), or a section in a spreadsheet. 'Cell phone' (American) or 'mobile phone' (British) refers to portable telephones.
Examples
- The human body contains trillions of cells. 人体含有数万亿个细胞。El cuerpo humano contiene billones de células.人体には何兆もの細胞が含まれています。인체에는 수조 개의 세포가 포함되어 있습니다.
- The prisoner was locked in his cell. 囚犯被关在他的牢房里。El prisionero estaba encerrado en su celda.囚人は独房に閉じ込められていました。죄수는 독방에 갇혀 있었습니다.
- You can enter data into each cell of the spreadsheet. 你可以在电子表格的每个单元格中输入数据。Puedes introducir datos en cada celda de la hoja de cálculo.スプレッドシートの各セルにデータを入力できます。스프레드시트의 각 셀에 데이터를 입력할 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin 'cella' meaning 'small room' or 'storeroom'. The biological sense was coined by Robert Hooke in 1665 when he observed plant tissue under a microscope — the tiny compartments reminded him of monks' cells in a monastery.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from Science & Research
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free