thylakoid

noun

thy·​la·​koid ˈthī-lə-ˌkȯid How to pronounce thylakoid (audio)
: any of the membranous disks of lamellae within plant chloroplasts that are composed of protein and lipid and are the sites of the photochemical reactions of photosynthesis

Examples of thylakoid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Over the past few billion years, most cyanobacteria and plants have evolved new features — more complex photosynthetic proteins as well as entirely new structures, such as thylakoids, to make the process more efficient. Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2026 Leafy greens, in particular, contain compounds called thylakoids, which have been shown to boost satiety. Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2026 Indirect evidence from genetics and chemical studies had previously suggested that cyanobacteria had thylakoids by this time. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 The latter is over a billion years old, which is substantially older than any previous evidence of thylakoids. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2024 Spinach is a source of thylakoids, the chlorophyll-bearing parts of green leaves. Lisa Drayer, CNN, 8 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary thylak- (from Greek thylakos sack) + -oid

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thylakoid was in 1962

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Cite this Entry

“Thylakoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thylakoid. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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