extracellular
|ex/tra/cel/lu/lar|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˌɛkstrəˈsɛljələr/
🇬🇧
/ˌɛkstrəˈsɛljʊlər/
outside the cell
Etymology
Etymology Information
'extracellular' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'extra-' meaning 'outside' and 'cellula' meaning 'small cell'.
Historical Evolution
'cellula' transformed into the modern English word 'cell', and eventually combined with 'extra-' to form 'extracellular'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'outside the small cell', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
located or occurring outside a cell or cells.
The extracellular matrix provides structural support to cells.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/19 16:39