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Glite Dictionary
flame cell

flame cell

9.9
A special cell that removes liquid waste from small soft animals like flatworms
  • noun
  • /fleɪm sɛl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : célula de llama
  • Flatworms rely on flame cells as a primitive excretory system.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the function of the flame cell in waste removal.

  • The flame cell helps in excreting waste.

  • The planarian's flame cells help regulate water balance in its body.

  • Flatworms possess many flame cells in their bodies.

  • Flatworms use flame cells to excrete waste materials efficiently.

  • The excretory system of flatworms relies on flame cells to filter out toxins.

  • Each flame cell helps remove waste by using tiny hair-like structures to propel fluids.

Surface Forms

flame cell singular
flame cells plural

Morphology

flame + cell

The compound clearly names a kind of biological 'cell', so a B1 learner would recognize it as a type of cell and might infer a flame-like appearance from 'flame'. However, the specific excretory function and the technical reason for the name are domain-specific and not predictable from the plain meanings of 'flame' + 'cell', making the relation only partially clear.

Etymology

The name flame cell comes from the tiny hairs inside the cell that wave like a little flame when people look under a microscope. That's why flame cell is used for the special cell that helps 'remove' 'waste' and extra water in flatworms.