mitochondrion

/ˈmaɪdəˌkɑndriən/

/maɪtəʊˈkɒndriən/

Other forms: mitochondria

A mitochondrion is the tiny part of a cell that generates energy for the entire cell. Your body contains an almost unbelievable number of mitochondria, an estimated ten million billion!

Mitochondrion is the singular form of mitochondria, and it derives from Greek roots mitos, "thread," and khondrion, "tiny granule." This particular tiny granule is an organelle, a part of a cell with an extremely specialized function. In the case of a mitochondrion, its main job is taking in food and producing energy. Not every cell has mitochondria (red blood cells don't have any, for instance), but some cells contain thousands.

Definitions of mitochondrion

1. noun

   an organelle containing enzymes responsible for producing energy
   synonyms: chondriosome

   types:

   sarcosome

   a large mitochondrion in a striated muscle fiber

   type of:

   cell organ, cell organelle, organelle

   a specialized part of a cell; analogous to an organ