noun

mitochondria

my-tuh-KON-dree-uh

Mitochondria (noun) means 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. Example: “Muscle cells are packed with mitochondria because they need so much energy.”

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.

"Muscle cells are packed with mitochondria because they need so much energy."

"Mitochondria carry their own small loop of DNA, inherited from the mother."

technical These structures considered as a genetic system, whose DNA is passed down the maternal line and is used to trace ancestry and to diagnose inherited disease.

"Analysis of the mitochondria placed the remains in a known European lineage."

How to Use Mitochondria

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe tiny parts inside your cells that turn food into energy.

When to use it

Scientific but familiar from school biology; the "powerhouse of the cell" phrase is often used jokingly.

Memory tip

The adjective is mitochondrial, as in mitochondrial DNA, usually shortened to mtDNA.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

mitochondrion mitosis → chloroplast

Common pairings

mitochondrial DNA damaged mitochondria mitochondria in muscle cells

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Muscle cells are packed with _____ because they need so much energy.

Etymology

From Greek mitos 'thread' plus khondrion 'little granule', describing their appearance under early microscopes.

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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cell powerhouses

Rhymes for mitochondria

IA Odia aria Asia India Syria Bahia mania Latvia acacia Zambia Russia

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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.