granulocyte
|gran-u-lo-cyte|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˈɡrænjəloʊˌsaɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈɡræn.jʊ.ləˌsaɪt/
granular white blood cell
Etymology
Etymology Information
'granulocyte' originates from the Latin word 'granulum,' meaning 'small grain,' and the Greek word 'kytos,' meaning 'cell.'
Historical Evolution
'granulocyte' was derived from the combination of 'granulum' and 'kytos' in the 19th century to describe cells with granular cytoplasm.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any cell with granules, but now it specifically refers to a type of white blood cell.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of white blood cell characterized by the presence of granules in its cytoplasm.
Granulocytes play a crucial role in the immune response by attacking bacteria and fungi.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/06/16 05:54