Standard Lemma guide

chromatophore

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /krəˈmætəˌfɔr/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pigment-bearing cell or structure found in certain fish, reptiles, cephalopods, and other animals

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Cuttlefish skin contains chromatophores that enable it to change colour.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From chromato- (“color”) + -phore (“bearer”).

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: cromatòfor — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Chinese Mandarin: 色素細胞 /色素细胞 (sè sù xì bāo) — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Esperanto: kromatoforo — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • French: chromatophore — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Galician: cromatóforo — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Hebrew: כרומטופור (kromatofor) — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Italian: cromatoforo — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Japanese: 色素胞 (shikisohou) — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Portuguese: cromatóforo — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Russian: хроматофор (xromatofor) — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Spanish: cromatóforo — pigment-bearing cell or structure
  • Vietnamese: tế bào sắc tố — pigment-bearing cell or structure