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prokaryotes

noun, plural form of prokaryote

Group of organisms that is primarily characterized by the lack of distinct, membrane-bound nucleus, or any other double membrane-bound organelles (e.g mitochondria, golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, etc.) withiin their cytoplasm.

They only have a nucleoid region in their cytoplasm where their genetic material occurs generally as a single, circular molecule of DNA.

Most of them are unicellular, and belong to Kingdom Monera. Examples of prokaryotes are bacteria, archaea and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).

Word origin: from the Old Greek pro-, before + karyon, nut or kernel, referring to the cell nucleus, + suffix -otos, pl. -otes;

Variants: also spelled "procaryotes"

Compare: eukaryotes