erythrocyte
|e-ryth-ro-cyte|
C1
/ɪˈrɪθrəˌsaɪt/
red blood cell
Etymology
Etymology Information
'erythrocyte' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'erythros' meaning 'red' and 'kytos' meaning 'cell'.
Historical Evolution
'erythros' and 'kytos' combined in Greek to form 'erythrocyte', which was adopted into modern English.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'red cell', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of blood cell that is typically a biconcave disc without a nucleus, containing the pigment hemoglobin, which imparts the red color to blood and transports oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the tissues.
Erythrocytes are crucial for oxygen transport in the body.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/26 13:44