mitochondrion

Coined in German by Carl Benda in 1898, from Ancient Greek μίτος (mítos, “thread”) + χονδρίον (khondríon), diminutive of χόνδρος (khóndros, “grain, morsel”)

mitochondrion (plural mitochondria or mitochondrions)

1. (cytology) A spherical or ovoid organelle found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, contains genetic material separate from that of the host; it is responsible for the conversion of food to usable energy in the form of ATP.
   • 1902 February 1, W. J. Baumgartner, “Spermatid Transformations in Gryllus assimilis, with Special Reference to the Nebenkern”, in Kansas University Science Bulletin, volume 1, number 2:

     The consideration of the mitochondrion in the spermatocytes I shall pass over, as it is not within the bounds of this paper; yet I hope to study the earlier generations of my material, and shall then compare the results.

• hydrogenosome
• mitosome
• plastid