# cell

/ˈsɛɫ/ (US) · /sˈɛl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cell
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. biology

noun · CEFR A2

the smallest unit of a living thing that can live on its own.

For teachers: the basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all known organisms.

- The scientist looked at the plant cells through a powerful microscope.
- Stem cells are unique because they have the potential to develop into many different types of specialized cells in the body.

### 2. prison room

noun · CEFR A2

a small room in a prison or police station where a prisoner is kept.

For teachers: a small room used to confine a person in a prison, jail, or police station.

- The guard walked past each cell to check on the inmates.
- The prisoner spent twenty-three hours a day in a cramped cell, with only a small window providing a glimpse of the sky.

### 3. spreadsheet box

noun · CEFR B1

a single box in a table or spreadsheet where you type information.

For teachers: the intersection of a row and a column in a spreadsheet or table.

- Type the total amount into cell B10 at the bottom of the page.
- The formula in the final cell automatically calculates the tax based on the data entered in the preceding rows.

### 4. battery

noun · CEFR B2

a device that stores electricity, or one part of a larger battery.

For teachers: an individual unit for storing electrical energy, often combined with others to form a battery.

- The car uses a fuel cell to create power from hydrogen.
- The experimental vehicle is powered by a lithium-ion cell that offers significantly higher energy density than traditional lead-acid versions.

### 5. small group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a small group of people that is part of a larger, often secret, organization.

For teachers: a small, discrete unit of a larger political or activist organization, often designed to operate independently for security.

- The activists worked in a small cell so that they didn't know the other members.
- Intelligence reports suggested that the sleeper cell had been inactive for several years before receiving the order to mobilize.

### 6. mobile phone

noun · CEFR A2 · American English · Informal

a short way of saying 'cell phone' or mobile phone.

For teachers: a hand-held mobile radiotelephone; a common clipping of 'cellular phone'.

- I left my cell at home, so I couldn't call you back.
- He reached into his pocket for his cell, only to realize the battery had died during the long commute.

### 7. monastery room

noun · CEFR B2

a very small, simple room where a monk or nun lives.

For teachers: a small, sparsely furnished room in a religious house, such as a monastery or convent.

- The monk spent his morning praying in his quiet cell.
- The architecture of the monastery was designed so that each cell faced the central courtyard, encouraging both solitude and community.

## Examples

- The human body contains trillions of living cells.
- The prisoner spent twenty-three hours a day locked inside a tiny concrete cell.
- Under the microscope, the plant cells appeared as a rigid grid of green walls, each containing a distinct nucleus and cytoplasm.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.