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cell theory
noun
: a theory in biology that includes one or both of the statements that the cell is the fundamental structural and functional unit of living matter and that the organism is composed of autonomous cells with its properties being the sum of those of its cells
Examples of cell theory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mukherjee recounts the beginnings of cell theory among 19th-century European scientists and the growing consensus that the cell is the fundamental unit of life in plants and animals.
—Siri Hustvedt, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022
Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and the cell theory, the observation that organismic life consists of one or more cells, the atoms of biology.
—Christof Koch, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2021
Long ago, cell theory was a new and revolutionary way to look more closely at life, and scientists moved animals to one group and plants to another based on the presence of the cellulose cell wall.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 15 Nov. 2019
Interested in research more than treatment, Cajal turned to histology, or cell theory, a discipline that had flowered since the introduction of powerful microscopes in the 1830s.
—Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cell theory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1843, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cell theory
Cite this Entry
“Cell theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cell%20theory. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
cell theory
noun
: a general statement in biology that all living things consist of cells each of which has come from a previously existing cell
Medical Definition
cell theory
noun
: a theory in biology that includes one or both of the statements that the cell is the fundamental structural and functional unit of living matter and that the organism is composed of autonomous cells with its properties being the sum of those of its cells
More from Merriam-Webster on cell theory
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cell theory
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