monocellular
Having one cell
Monocellular means consisting of a single cell.
The term appears in biology to describe organisms like bacteria and amoebas: monocellular life forms.
Unicellular is more common in scientific writing, but monocellular serves the same purpose.
Shape-shifting single-celled organism
- parameciumCiliated slipper-shaped protozoan
- protozoanUnicellular eukaryotic life form
- euglenaPlant-animal hybrid microbe
- bacteriumSingle-celled prokaryotic life
yeast · diatom · giardia · chlamydomonas · dinoflagellate · mycoplasma · vorticella
Cell without nuclear membrane
- eukaryoteOrganism with nucleated cells
- protistUnicellular eukaryotic organism
- archaeaThird domain of life
- microorganismMicroscopic living entity
microbe · acellular · colonial · heterotroph · autotroph · anaerobe · aerobe · extremophile
Existing from the start
- primitiveIn earliest form
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- prokaryoticLacking membrane-enclosed organelles
- eukaryoticHaving organized nuclear membrane
biogenesis · abiogenesis · prebiotic · endosymbiosis · mitochondrial
Drifting marine microlife
- phytoplanktonPhotosynthetic aquatic drifters
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
microbiome · biofilm · bloom · eutrophication · symbiosis · decomposer · detritivore · marine
Gel surrounding the nucleus
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- mitochondriaCell's energy-producing organelles
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- flagellumWhiplike cellular appendage
cilium · pseudopod · vacuole · membrane · organelle · lysosome · peroxisome · cytoskeleton
amoeba
Shape-shifting single-celled organism
- parameciumCiliated slipper-shaped protozoan
- protozoanUnicellular eukaryotic life form
- euglenaPlant-animal hybrid microbe
bacterium · yeast · diatom · giardia · chlamydomonas · dinoflagellate · mycoplasma · vorticella
prokaryote
Cell without nuclear membrane
- eukaryoteOrganism with nucleated cells
- protistUnicellular eukaryotic organism
- archaeaThird domain of life
microorganism · microbe · acellular · colonial · heterotroph · autotroph · anaerobe · aerobe · extremophile · thermophile
primordial
Existing from the start
- primitiveIn earliest form
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- prokaryoticLacking membrane-enclosed organelles
eukaryotic · biogenesis · abiogenesis · prebiotic · endosymbiosis · mitochondrial
plankton
Drifting marine microlife
- phytoplanktonPhotosynthetic aquatic drifters
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
cyanobacteria · microbiome · biofilm · bloom · eutrophication · symbiosis · decomposer · detritivore · marine · freshwater
cytoplasm
Gel surrounding the nucleus
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- mitochondriaCell's energy-producing organelles
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
flagellum · cilium · pseudopod · vacuole · membrane · organelle · lysosome · peroxisome · cytoskeleton · chloroplast