macronucleus
nounEtymology From macro- + nucleus.
1
Biology, Natural sciences The larger of the two nuclei present in ciliate protozoans; it controls the nonreproductive functions of the cell.
- These binucleated forms have one macronucleus functional and another sexual micronucleus which is not functional in the ordinary life processes of the species.1890, American Philosophical Society, Proceedings:
- Synonyms
- meganucleus