célula

cell

noun SEH-loo-lah Less Common

Origin: Latin cellula

Usage Note

Célula has the stress on the first syllable, requiring a written accent. It is used in biology (célula madre — 'stem cell') and in political/organizational contexts (célula terrorista — 'terrorist cell'). The diminutive origin from Latin cella ('small room') reflects its original anatomical sense of a tiny compartment.

Examples

"El cuerpo humano tiene billones de células."

Natural Translation

The human body has trillions of cells.

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