neutrocyte
|neu-tro-cyte|
🇺🇸
/ˈnuːtrəˌsaɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈnjuːtrəsaɪt/
neutral-staining white blood cell
Etymology
'neutrocyte' originates from New Latin/modern coinage, specifically the combining form 'neutro-' (from Latin 'neuter', meaning 'neither of two; neutral') and Greek 'kytos' (κυτος) meaning 'container, cell'.
'neutrocyte' was formed in medical English by joining classical elements; around the same time 'neutrophil' (from 'neutro-' + '-phil') also appeared, and 'neutrophil' became the more common term in clinical usage while 'neutrocyte' has remained a less common or older variant.
Initially it referred to a cell that stained neutrally (a neutral-staining white blood cell); over time the meaning has stayed largely the same, but terminology shifted so that 'neutrophil' is now the preferred term.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a neutrophil: a type of white blood cell (a granulocyte) that stains only weakly with acidic or basic dyes and is a key cell of the innate immune response, especially in defending against bacterial infection.
An elevated neutrocyte count often indicates a bacterial infection.
Synonyms
Noun 2
rare or historical usage: any cell characterized by neutral staining properties (i.e., staining neither strongly acidic nor basic).
In older histology texts, the term neutrocyte sometimes referred broadly to neutral-staining cells.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/12 12:11