mitochondria
1 synonym for mitochondria, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The structures inside almost every plant and animal cell that convert food and oxygen into usable energy, in the form of ATP. The singular is mitochondrion.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
cell powerhouses
How to use mitochondria
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
mitochondrial DNA
damaged mitochondria
mitochondria in muscle cells
Scientific but familiar from school biology; the "powerhouse of the cell" phrase is often used jokingly.
Etymology
From Greek mitos 'thread' plus khondrion 'little granule', describing their appearance under early microscopes.
Full origin of mitochondria →Frequently asked questions
What do mitochondria do?
They carry out cellular respiration, turning sugars and oxygen into ATP, the molecule cells use to power almost everything they do. They also help regulate calcium levels and controlled cell death.
Is it mitochondria or mitochondrion?
Mitochondrion is the singular and mitochondria the plural, following the Greek pattern. So "a mitochondrion has two membranes" but "the mitochondria are damaged".
Why are mitochondria called the powerhouse of the cell?
Because they generate most of the cell's chemical energy. The phrase comes from school biology teaching and is a simplification, since mitochondria also regulate signalling, metabolism and cell death.
