cell cycle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Academic
Quick answer
What does “cell cycle” mean?
The series of events by which a cell grows, replicates its DNA, and divides to form two daughter cells.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The series of events by which a cell grows, replicates its DNA, and divides to form two daughter cells.
The ordered, cyclic process governing cell growth, division, and death; used metaphorically to describe regulated, cyclical processes in other systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. American texts may use 'cell-cycle' as a compound adjective slightly more frequently.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Strictly technical and neutral.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American scientific/academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “cell cycle” in a Sentence
The [noun] regulates the cell cycle.The cell cycle is divided into [number] phases.[Subject] undergoes the cell cycle.A checkpoint controls the cell cycle at [phase].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cell cycle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The treatment aims to cell-cycle arrest the tumour.
American English
- The compound cell-cycles the population synchronously.
adjective
British English
- Cell-cycle analysis provided crucial data.
American English
- Cell cycle regulators are promising drug targets.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; possible in biotech/pharma contexts discussing drug targets (e.g., 'Our drug inhibits cancer cell cycle progression').
Academic
Primary context. Central to biology, biochemistry, genetics, and oncology papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
The standard, precise term in life sciences, medical research, and clinical oncology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cell cycle”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cell cycle”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cell cycle”
- Using plural verb with 'the cell cycle' (e.g., 'The cell cycle are...' is incorrect).
- Confusing 'cell cycle' with 'cell division' (the cycle includes growth and DNA replication, not just division).
- Omitting 'the' when using the term generally (e.g., 'Understanding cell cycle is important' should be 'Understanding the cell cycle...').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as two words ('cell cycle'), though hyphenated ('cell-cycle') is common when used as a compound adjective.
The main stages are Interphase (G1, S, G2) and the Mitotic (M) phase (mitosis and cytokinesis).
No. Non-dividing cells are typically in a state called G0 phase, which is outside the active cell cycle.
Cancer is fundamentally a disease of uncontrolled cell division, so understanding and targeting cell cycle regulation is key to developing therapies.
The series of events by which a cell grows, replicates its DNA, and divides to form two daughter cells.
Cell cycle is usually technical/academic in register.
Cell cycle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsel ˌsaɪ.kl̩/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsel ˌsaɪ.kəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “caught in the cell cycle”
- “cycle of life (metaphorical extension)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CELL going for a CYCLE ride: it starts, goes through stages (G1, S, G2, M), and ends back at the start having produced two cells.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PROGRAMMED JOURNEY or a CLOCKWORK MECHANISM with precise, sequential phases and checkpoints.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a primary phase of the eukaryotic cell cycle?