# prokaryote

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹəʊˈkæɹi.əʊt/

## Definitions
1. An organism whose cell (or cells) are characterized by the absence of a nucleus or any other membrane-bound organelles.
2. In the two-empire system of biological taxonomy, an organism of the kingdom Prokaryotae (now superseded).

## Etymology
From pro- + karyon + -ote.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/prokaryote