cell

cell — noun

1. the tiniest living unit in any plant or animal, invisible except through a micro

1.nounB2
Definition

the tiniest living unit in any plant or animal, invisible except through a microscope; all living things are built from these units.

Example

The human body contains trillions of cells that work together.

contains + trillions of cells

A blood sample can show whether the white cells are fighting infection.

blood cell / white cell

Common collocations
  • blood cell
  • skin cell
  • nerve cell
  • stem cell
  • cancer cell
  • cell division
  • cell membrane
  • cell wall
  • cell growth
  • cell dies
  • cell divides
Synonyms
  • microorganism

    different — a living thing made of one cell, not a single unit of a larger organism

  • unit

    very general; not specific to biology

  • organelle

    a smaller part inside a cell, not the cell itself

Grammar Patterns

cell + verb (divide, grow, die)

blood / skin / muscle / cancer + cell

cell + noun (wall, membrane, division)

Usage Note

This is the core biological sense. It appears frequently in compound nouns: blood cell, skin cell, nerve cell, stem cell, and cancer cell. You can also say a cell divides, grows, or dies.

Common Mistakes

My body has cells and I feel good.
Every plant and animal is made of tiny cells that you can only see with a microscope.
The word is too general for daily health talk; use it for scientific or biological description.

2. a basic room, often with nothing more than a bed, used for locking up convicts a

2.nounB2
Definition

a basic room, often with nothing more than a bed, used for locking up convicts at jailhouses or for a brother or sister sleeping alone at a religious house.

Example

The guard locked the door of the prison cell at nine o'clock.

prison cell

Ravi shared a cell with two other men for six months.

shared a cell with

Common collocations
  • prison cell
  • jail cell
  • holding cell
  • padded cell
  • monk's cell
  • cell door
  • cell window
  • cell mate
  • in a cell
  • lock in a cell
Synonyms
  • cage

    more negative; implies bars and confinement like an animal

  • chamber

    formal, neutral, and broader in meaning

  • dungeon

    underground prison room, usually dark and old

Grammar Patterns

in a/the cell

prison / jail / monk's / nun's + cell

cell + noun (door, window, mate)

Usage Note

This sense has two main branches: prison cells (for criminals) and monastery cells (for monks or nuns). The prison branch is much more common in everyday English. In compounds: prison cell, jail cell, holding cell, padded cell.

Common Mistakes

I slept in a small hotel cell.
I slept in a small hotel room.
A cell is a room in a prison or a monastery, not in a hotel.

3. a device that creates electricity by using a chemical reaction or by collecting

3.nounB2
Definition

a device that creates electricity by using a chemical reaction or by collecting light energy, such as a dry cell or a solar cell.

Example

The solar cell on the roof powers the garden lights at night.

solar cell

A fuel cell converts hydrogen into electricity without burning fuel.

fuel cell

Common collocations
  • solar cell
  • fuel cell
  • dry cell
  • photoelectric cell
  • cell produces electricity
  • cell converts energy
Synonyms
  • battery

    often used interchangeably in everyday speech, though technically a battery contains multiple cells

  • accumulator

    technical term for a rechargeable battery

Grammar Patterns

cell + noun (battery, charger)

solar / fuel / dry + cell

cell produces/generates + energy

Usage Note

This sense describes a single unit that produces electricity. It is broader than battery, since a battery contains one or more cells. Common compounds: solar cell, fuel cell, dry cell. Not to be confused with a prison cell or a phone (sense 4).

Common Mistakes

I need a new cell for my smartphone.
I need a new battery for my smartphone.
A cell is a single electricity-producing unit inside a battery; general users say battery for the whole device.

4. a short way of saying cell phone; a telephone that has no wires and can be carri

4.nounA2
Definition

a short way of saying cell phone; a telephone that has no wires and can be carried anywhere because it works by radio, used for calls, messages, and internet.

Example

Diego reached for his cell as soon as the train arrived.

possessive + cell

Can I borrow your cell for a quick call to the doctor?

Common collocations
  • on my cell
  • call someone on their cell
  • cell phone
  • cell number
  • reach for cell
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • landline

    a phone connected to a fixed wire in a building

Grammar Patterns

on my/his/her + cell

call + someone on + possessive + cell

cell phone

Usage Note

The shortened form cell is mainly used in North American English. In British English, mobile or phone is more common. Use this sense only in informal situations — for formal writing, use cell phone or mobile phone.

Common Mistakes

My jail cell needs a new battery.
My phone needs a new battery.
Prison cell and phone cell are different words with the same spelling. Context always makes the meaning clear.

5. one of the small spaces, sections, or compartments that together make up a large

5.nounB1
Definition

one of the small spaces, sections, or compartments that together make up a larger structure, such as a honeycomb, a beehive, or a storage box.

Example

Each cell of the honeycomb holds a single drop of honey.

cells of a honeycomb

The bees filled every cell in the hive before harvesting began.

cell in the hive

Common collocations
  • cells of a honeycomb
  • honeycomb cell
  • cell in the hive
  • divided into cells
  • egg tray cell
Synonyms
  • compartment

    a more general word for a separate section within a container

  • section

    focuses on the division rather than the enclosed space

  • cavity

    suggests an empty space inside a solid material

Grammar Patterns

cell of + noun

the cells of a + structure

Usage Note

This is a general sense describing any small compartment within a larger structure. It is less specific than the biological or prison senses. Commonly used for honeycomb cells and sometimes for grid-based storage systems.

Common Mistakes

I put ice cubes in the cell of the tray.
I put ice cubes in the compartment of the tray.
An ice-cube tray has compartments, but most speakers call them slots or sections.

6. a tiny team of operatives inside a bigger political body, typically operating in

6.nounC1
Definition

a tiny team of operatives inside a bigger political body, typically operating in secrecy and often planning unlawful or violent acts.

Example

The police discovered a terrorist cell operating in the city centre.

terrorist cell

Members of the revolutionary cell met in a basement to plan their next move.

revolutionary cell

Common collocations
  • terrorist cell
  • revolutionary cell
  • secret cell
  • sleeper cell
  • cell member
  • cell leader
  • cell network
  • break up a cell
  • discover a cell
  • operate in cells
Synonyms
  • faction

    a group within a larger one, often with differing opinions; less secret than a cell

  • splinter group

    a group that has broken away from a larger organization

  • ring

    a group of people working together, especially illegally

  • unit

    neutral and general; not specifically secret or political

Grammar Patterns

terrorist / revolutionary / secret + cell

cell of + organization

cell operates / meets / plans

Usage Note

This sense carries a strong connotation of secrecy, conspiracy, and often violence. It appears most often in news reporting about terrorism, espionage, and underground political movements. The members of a cell typically do not know the members of other cells, for security reasons.

Common Mistakes

Our study group is a cell for learning Spanish.
Our study group is a small group for learning Spanish.
A political cell implies secrecy and often illegal activity. Casual study or hobby groups should not use this word.

7. a single box in a spreadsheet application (like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets

7.nounB1
Definition

a single box in a spreadsheet application (like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) where you put a number, a word, or a calculation.

Example

Theo entered the sales total into cell B12 of the spreadsheet.

cell + column/row reference

When you select a cell, its address appears in the top-left corner.

select a cell

Common collocations
  • cell address
  • cell reference
  • active cell
  • empty cell
  • cell contains a formula
  • select a cell
  • cell A1, B2
  • merge cells
  • cell value
Synonyms
  • box

    general word for a square on a form or page

  • field

    database term for a space that holds one piece of data

  • square

    simple everyday word for a small four-sided space

Grammar Patterns

cell + noun (reference, address, value)

select / enter data into / click on + a cell

cell A1, cell B2, etc.

Usage Note

Each cell on a spreadsheet is identified by a unique address made of its column letter and row number, for example A1, F12, or Z100. This sense is used in computing and office contexts. In everyday English, the word box or square is more common for general grid spaces.

Common Mistakes

Write your answer in the cell of the exam paper.
Write your answer in the box on the exam paper.
Spreadsheet cells are for computer programs. Paper forms use squares or boxes.

Word family

  • cellular
    adjectiveB2
  • cellulose
    nounC1
  • cellmate
    nounB2
  • cellphone
    nounA2
  • intercellular
    adjectiveC2
  • intracellular
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words describe biological structures at different scales. A 'cell' is the smallest living unit — the building block of all plants and animals. An 'organism' is a complete living thing made of many cells working together, like a human or a tree. 'Tissue' sits between cells and organs: it is a group of similar cells doing the same job, such as muscle tissue or nerve tissue. An 'organ' (heart, liver, lung) is a larger structure made of different tissues working together. An 'organelle' is even smaller than a cell — it is a specialized part inside a cell, such as the nucleus or mitochondria. Compare: 'Every cell in the leaf contains chloroplasts,' 'A bacterium is a single-cell organism,' 'The heart is an organ made of muscle tissue,' and 'The mitochondria are organelles that produce energy for the cell.'

cell ↗organism ↗tissue ↗organ ↗organelle

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cell division
  • cell growth
  • cell structure
  • cell phone
  • cell biology
  • cell membrane

Phrases

  • the cells of a honeycomb
  • the nucleus of a cell
  • a terrorist cell
  • a prison cell

Prepositions

  • in a cell
  • into a cell
  • out of a cell

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word cell came into English through Old French 'celle', which came from Latin 'cella', meaning a small room, storeroom, or chamber. This original sense of a small enclosed space still connects all the modern meanings: a prison cell is a small room, a biological cell is a tiny enclosed unit of life, a honeycomb cell is a small space for honey, and a spreadsheet cell is a small box for data. The biological sense was first used in the 1600s, when early scientists saw plant cells under microscopes and thought they looked like small rooms.