Definition

A small organ found in some single-celled organisms that can shoot out a thread or filament to capture prey or defend itself.

Example

The paramecium uses its trichocysts to catch tiny food particles in the water.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a trichocyst?

No, what is that?

It's a type of organelle found in some protozoans that can sting or grasp.

Wow, that's really interesting! I didn't know about that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Trichocyst → It is formed from "tricho-" (from Greek "thrix", meaning hair) and "cyst" (from Greek "kystis", meaning bladder or sac). The word refers to a hair-like structure that functions as a sac or bladder in certain protozoa.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hair' ('tricho-') and a 'sac' ('cyst') — a trichocyst is a hair-like sac found in some microscopic organisms.

Visually Confused Words