What is the term for the process of ingesting food by engulfing a particle to form a vacuole?

The term that describes the process of ingesting food by engulfing a particle to form a vacuole is phagocytosis. This is a specialized form of endocytosis, particularly involved in the uptake of large particles such as bacteria or cellular debris. During phagocytosis, a cell's membrane surrounds the particle, ultimately enclosing it within a vacuole known as a phagosome. These vacuoles can then fuse with lysosomes, where the contents are broken down and digested.

While endocytosis is a broader term that encompasses all forms of material uptake by cells, phagocytosis specifically refers to the ingestion of larger particles. Exocytosis refers to the process of expelling materials from a cell, while diffusion is a passive transport process that involves the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration without cellular energy expenditure. Understanding these distinctions clarifies why phagocytosis is the most precise answer in the context of engulfing particles to form vacuoles.