mitochondrion

IPA/ˌmaɪtəʊˈkɒndriən/
KK[mˌaɪtəkˈɑndriən]IPA/ˌmaɪtəʊˈkɑːndriən/

mitochondrion — noun

  • mitochondrionsingular
  • mitochondrionsplural

1. A microscopic compartment inside the cells of living organisms that uses oxygen

1.名詞C1
釋義

A microscopic compartment inside the cells of living organisms that uses oxygen to break down nutrients and release a form of chemical energy the cell can draw on for activities such as growth, movement, and repair.

例句

Muscle cells contain thousands of mitochondria so they can keep the body moving during exercise.

usually plural in scientific contexts: mitochondria

Under the microscope, Dr. Linh could see the mitochondria glowing inside the liver cells.

countable noun with specific body tissues

同義詞
  • organelle

    much broader term that covers any specialised subunit within a cell (nucleus, ribosome, etc.)

文法句型

mitochondria + verb (plural agreement)

mitochondrial + noun (adjective form)

用法筆記

The plural form mitochondria is far more common in scientific writing than the singular mitochondrion. Use singular only when referring to a single such organelle: 'A single mitochondrion can split into two.' The associated adjective is mitochondrial (e.g., mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial disease).

常見錯誤

❌The mitochondrions in the cell produce energy.
✅The mitochondria in the cell produce energy.
💡The irregular plural is mitochondria, not mitochondrions.
❌A mitochondria is found inside the cell.
✅A mitochondrion is found inside the cell.
💡Use the singular form when referring to one organelle.