eukaryote Biol.
(juːˈkærɪət)
Also -caryote.
[a. F. eucaryote ({Eacu}. Chatton 1925, in Ann. des Sci. Nat.: Zool. VIII. 76), f. as prec. + Gr. -ώτ-ης.]
A eukaryotic organism. Opp. prokaryote.
| 1961 in Webster. 1963, 1967 [see prokaryote]. 1969 New Scientist 14 Aug. 327/2 The oldest rocks in which eucaryotic fossils are known are about 1.2 to 1.4 aeons old, although eucaryotes may have made their debut before this. 1977 Sci. Amer. July 28/3 The paleontological record suggests that prokaryotes existed on the earth for a billion or more years before the more complex eukaryotes arrived on the scene. 1983 Nature 21 July 211/1 Many sexually reproducing species of lower eukaryotes are not differentiated into males and females. 1984 J. W. Kimball Cell Biol. (ed. 3) iii. 72/1 (caption) Electron micrograph..of a blue-green alga. Although internal membranes are found in this prokaryote, these are not organized into the membrane-bounded organelles characteristic of eukaryotes. |