# mitochondria

/ˌmaɪtəˈkɑndɹiə/ (US) · /mˌaɪtəkˈɒndɹiə/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mitochondria
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the parts of a cell that turn food and oxygen into energy. They are often called the power plants of the cell.

For teachers: organelles found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur. They possess their own genome and are responsible for generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

## Examples

- Mitochondria produce the energy that cells need to function.
- Muscle cells contain a high density of mitochondria because they require constant energy to contract and move.
- The endosymbiotic theory suggests that mitochondria originated as independent prokaryotic organisms that were eventually engulfed by larger cells, forming a permanent and mutually beneficial relationship.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." but "The mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell." — Mitochondria is a plural noun; it requires a plural verb and plural complements.

## Usage notes

- The plural form of 'mitochondrion'; takes a plural verb in scientific and formal writing.

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