'neutrophil-rich' is a compound formed from 'neutrophil' and the adjective 'rich'. 'Neutrophil' originates from New Latin/Modern scientific coinage combining 'neutro-' (from Greek/Latin notion of 'neutral', referring to neutral staining) and '-phil' (from Greek 'philein', 'to love' or 'affinity for'), meaning 'cells that stain with (or have affinity for) neutral dyes'. 'Rich' originates from Old English (and Proto-Germanic) roots meaning 'powerful/abundant', later developing the sense 'having abundance'.

'neutrophil' was coined in modern medical/biological Latin based on Greek roots and became established in English scientific usage in the late 19th to early 20th century; 'rich' comes from Old English 'rice/ric' (powerful/wealthy) and evolved through Middle English into the modern adjective 'rich'. The compound 'neutrophil-rich' is a more recent English formation used in clinical and pathological descriptions.

Initially, 'neutrophil' referred to cells defined by their affinity for neutral dyes (technical staining property); 'rich' originally meant powerful/wealthy and later 'abundant'. In the compound, the combined meaning is now 'abundant in neutrophils'—a descriptive term in pathology/clinical reports.