Definition

Easily colored or stained by dyes, often used to describe cells or structures in biology that absorb color.

Example

The chromophil cells in the tissue sample showed vibrant colors under the microscope.

Conversation

I learned about chromophil cells in biology class today.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

They are cells that stain easily with dyes, which helps in analysis.

That sounds interesting! I can see how that would be useful in experiments.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A type of cell or cell structure that has an affinity for staining or coloring, often used in biological contexts to describe cells that readily absorb dyes.

Example

The chromophil cells in the tissue sample showed vibrant colors under the microscope.

Conversation

I read an interesting article about chromophil cells in plants.

Oh really? What do they do?

They help with photosynthesis by absorbing light.

Root Explanation

Chromophil → It is formed from "chromo-" (from Greek "chroma", meaning color) and "-phil" (from Greek "philos", meaning loving or fond of). The word describes something that is fond of or attracted to color.

Memory Tip

Think of 'chroma' meaning color and '-phil' meaning loving — this helps you remember that 'chromophil' refers to something that loves or is attracted to color.

Visually Confused Words