noncellular

7.9

Not made of tiny living parts called cells

adjective
/nɒnˈsɛljʊlər/

Specialized

: acelular

Some ancient organisms were noncellular, existing before the evolution of true cells.

Examples

Many types of synthetic materials are completely noncellular in nature.
Many noncellular organisms exist in extreme environments.
Viruses are considered noncellular organisms because they lack cellular structure.
The virus is noncellular and cannot reproduce on its own.
Scientists studied a noncellular organism that thrives in extreme environments.
The researchers focused on noncellular structures found in the samples collected from the ocean.
This virus is considered noncellular because it does not have a cellular structure.

Synonyms

acellular

vsnoncellular

Specialized

1 9.5

A thing that has no cells or cell structure

is the same in meaning and differs only in word form

cell-free

vsnoncellular

Specialized

1 5.1

Not having any tiny living parts from plants or animals

emphasizes lacking cellular structure rather than merely lacking living cells

Antonyms

cellular

2 4.8

Made of many small parts or compartments like a honeycomb

How Cellular

multicellular

Specialized

3 4.3

unicellular

Specialized

1 5.3

noncellular

Specialized

7.9

Surface Forms

noncellular positive

Morphology

noncellular = cellular (transparent) = non + cell + ular

Standard negation 'non-' applied to the adjective 'cellular', yielding a directly inferable 'not cellular' meaning.

Etymology

The word noncellular breaks into non- 'not' and cell 'a tiny living unit'. So, noncellular describes something that is not made of cells.