'leukocytoclastic' originates from Greek/New Latin combining forms: specifically 'leuk-' (from Greek 'leukos'), 'cyto-' (from Greek 'kytos'), and '-clastic' (from Greek 'klastikos'), where 'leuk-' meant 'white', 'cyto-' meant 'cell', and '-clastic' meant 'breaking' or 'broken.'

'leukocytoclastic' developed via medical New Latin formation: Greek 'leukos' + 'kytos' + Greek-derived suffix '-clastic' combined into 'leukocytoclasia' (the noun for white-cell breaking) and then into the adjective 'leukocytoclastic' in modern medical English.

Initially, the components literally described 'white-cell breaking'; over time this specialized into the pathological term referring to the fragmentation of leukocytes (especially neutrophils) seen in certain vasculitides and inflammatory lesions.