cella small room as in a convent or prison; basic structural unit of all organisms: a one-celled animalNot to be confused with:sell ? to transfer goods or render services in exchange for money: sell the carAbused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreecelltop: plant cellbottom: animal cellcell  (s?l)n.1. A narrow confining room, as in a prison or convent.2. A small enclosed cavity or space, such as a compartment in a honeycomb or within a plant ovary or an area bordered by veins in an insect’s wing.3. Biology The smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning, consisting of cytoplasm, usually one nucleus, and various other organelles, all surrounded by a semipermeable cell membrane.4. Architecture See web.5. The smallest organizational unit of a clandestine group or movement, such as a banned political movement or a terrorist group. A cell’s leader is often the only person who knows members of the organization outside the cell.6. Electricity a. A single unit for electrolysis or conversion of chemical into electric energy, usually consisting of a container with electrodes and an electrolyte; a battery. Also called electrochemical cell.b. A single unit that converts radiant energy into electric energy: a solar cell.7. A fuel cell.8. a. A geographic area or zone surrounding a transmitter in a cellular telephone system.b. A cell phone.9. Computers A basic unit of storage in a computer memory that can hold one unit of information, such as a character or word.10. A storm cell.11. A small humble abode, such as a hermit’s cave or hut.12. A small religious house dependent on a larger one, such as a priory within an abbey.13. A box or other unit on a spreadsheet or similar array at the intersection of a column and a row.v. celled, cell·ing, cells v.tr. To store in a honeycomb.v.intr. To live in or share a prison cell.[Middle English celle, from Old English cell and from Old French, both from Latin cella, chamber; see kel- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.cell (s?l) n1. a small simple room, as in a prison, convent, monastery, or asylum; cubicle2. any small compartment: the cells of a honeycomb. 3. (Biology) biology the basic structural and functional unit of living organisms. It consists of a nucleus, containing the genetic material, surrounded by the cytoplasm in which are mitochondria, lysosomes, ribosomes, and other organelles. All cells are bounded by a cell membrane; plant cells have an outer cell wall in addition4. (Biology) biology any small cavity or area, such as the cavity containing pollen in an anther5. (General Physics) a device for converting chemical energy into electrical energy, usually consisting of a container with two electrodes immersed in an electrolyte. See also primary cell, secondary cell, dry cell, wet cell, fuel cell6. (Chemistry) short for electrolytic cell7. (Ecclesiastical Terms) a small religious house dependent upon a larger one8. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a small group of persons operating as a nucleus of a larger political, religious, or other organization: Communist cell. 9. (Mathematics) maths a small unit of volume in a mathematical coordinate system10. (Zoology) zoology one of the areas on an insect wing bounded by veins11. (Broadcasting) the geographical area served by an individual transmitter in a cellular radio network[C12: from Medieval Latin cella monk’s cell, from Latin: room, storeroom; related to Latin c?l?re to hide] ?cell-?like adjcell (s?l) n (Film) a variant spelling of celCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014cell (s?l) n. 1. a small room, as in a convent or prison. 2. any of various small compartments or bounded areas forming part of a whole. 3. a usu. microscopic structure containing nuclear and cytoplasmic material enclosed by a semipermeable membrane and, in plants, a cell wall; the basic structural unit of all organisms. 4. a small group acting as a unit within a larger organization: a local cell of a political party. 5. a device that converts chemical energy into electricity, usu. consisting of two different kinds of conductors surrounded by an electrolyte; battery. 6. Also called electrolytic cell. a device for producing electrolysis, consisting essentially of the electrolyte, its container, and the electrodes. 7. a monastery or nunnery, dependent on a larger religious house. 8. one of the areas into which the wing of an insect is divided by the veins. 9. locule. 10. one of the separate areas covered by a radio transmitter in a cellular phone system. [before 1150; Middle English celle (