nucleus

Plural: nuclei, nucleuses

Noun

• a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction
• the positively charged dense center of an atom
• a small group of indispensable persons or things
• (astronomy) the center of the head of a comet; consists of small solid particles of ice and frozen gas that vaporizes on approaching the sun to form the coma and tail
• any histologically identifiable mass of neural cell bodies in the brain or spinal cord
• the central structure of the lens that is surrounded by the cortex
• The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled.
• An initial part or version that will receive additions.
• The massive, positively charged central part of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons.
• A large membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells which contains genetic material.
• A ganglion, cluster of many neuronal bodies where synapsing occurs.
• The central part of a syllable, most commonly a vowel.
• pl. -CLEI or -CLEUSES an essential part of a cell

Examples

• "This collection will form the nucleus of a new library."

Synonyms

cell nucleus, core, core group, karyon, lens nucleus