Word: Vacuolate
Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: The word "vacuolate" describes something that has been formed into or contains one or more vacuoles. Vacuoles are small, membrane-bound spaces within a cell that can hold various substances, such as nutrients, waste products, or water.
Usage Instructions: You can use "vacuolate" when talking about cells, especially in biology. It is often used to describe plant cells, but can also refer to certain animal cells.
Example Sentence: "Under the microscope, we could see that the plant cells were vacuolate, with large vacuoles filled with water."
Advanced Usage: In more advanced scientific discussions, you might encounter "vacuolate" in research papers or articles that focus on cellular biology, plant physiology, or microbiology.
Word Variants: - Vacuole (noun): The small cavity within a cell. - Vacuolation (noun): The process of forming vacuoles in cells.
Different Meaning: While "vacuolate" specifically refers to cells and vacuoles, in a broader sense, "vacuous" (which sounds similar) means lacking substance or meaning, often used to describe ideas or expressions that are empty or shallow.
Synonyms: - Vacuolar (related to vacuoles) - Cavity-containing (not commonly used but can describe the same idea)
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "vacuolate," as it is a specialized term used primarily in scientific contexts.
Conclusion: Remember, "vacuolate" is mainly used in biology to describe cells that contain vacuoles.