leucopenia
|leu-co-pe-ni-a|
C2
/ˌluːkəˈpiːniə/
deficiency of white blood cells
Etymology
Etymology Information
'leucopenia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'leukos' meaning 'white' and 'penia' meaning 'poverty' or 'deficiency'.
Historical Evolution
'leukos' and 'penia' combined in medical terminology to form 'leucopenia', which has been used in modern English to describe a deficiency of white blood cells.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'deficiency of white cells', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern medical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a reduction in the number of white cells in the blood, typical of various diseases.
The patient was diagnosed with leucopenia after the blood test.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/21 19:35