Nucleus

n.	1.
	1.	A kernel; hence, a central mass or point about which matter is gathered, or to which accretion is made; the central or material portion; - used both literally and figuratively. It must contain within itself a nucleus of truth. - I. Taylor.
	2.	(Astron.) The body or the head of a comet.
	3.	(Bot.) An incipient ovule of soft cellular tissue.
	4.	(Biol.) A body, usually spheroidal, in a eukaryotic cell, distinguished from the surrounding protoplasm by a difference in refrangibility and in behavior towards chemical reagents, which contains the chromosomal genetic material, including the chromosomal DNA. It is more or less protoplasmic, and consists of a clear fluid (achromatin) through which extends a network of fibers (chromatin) in which may be suspended a second rounded body, the nucleolus (see Nucleoplasm). See Cell division, under Division.
	5.	(Zool.) The tip, or earliest part, of a univalve or bivalve shell.

Noun	1.	nucleus - a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction Synonyms: cell nucleus, karyon
	2.	nucleus - the positively charged dense center of an atom
	3.	nucleus - a small group of indispensable persons or things; "five periodicals make up the core of their publishing program" Synonyms: core group, core
	4.	nucleus - (astronomy) the center of the head of a comet; consists of small solid particles of ice and frozen gas that vaporizes on approaching the sun to form the coma and tail
	5.	nucleus - any histologically identifiable mass of neural cell bodies in the brain or spinal cord

Anlage, Kern, NMR, alpha particle, antibaryon, antilepton, antimeson, atomic nucleus, atomic particle, axiom, axis, baryon, basichromatin, beta particle, bud, center, center of action, center of gravity, centroid, centrum, chromatin, chromatin strands, dead center, diameter, diaphragm, egg, electron, elementary particle, elixir, embryo, epicenter, equator, essence, essential, flower, fundamental, germ, germen, gist, gravamen, heterochromatin, hypostasis, inner essence, interior, karyosome, karyotin, kernel, lepton, loins, macronucleus, marrow, mean, meat, median, medulla, meganucleus, meson, metacenter, micronucleus, midmost, midriff, midst, nave, navel, neutron, nub, nuclear force, nuclear magnetic resonance, nuclear particle, nuclear resonance, nucleolus, nucleon, nucleosynthesis, nuts and bolts, omphalos, ovum, photon, pith, pivot, plasmosome, postulate, principle, proton, quid, quiddity, quintessence, rudiment, sap, seed, soul, spark, spermatozoon, spirit, storm center, strangeness, strong interaction, stuff, substance, the nitty-gritty, thick, thick of things, triton, umbilicus, valence electron, waist, waistline, zone

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