leukocyte (n.)

also leucocyte, "white blood cell, white or colorless corpuscle of the blood or lymph," 1860, via French leucocyte, from leuco-, a Latinized combining form of Greek leukos "white, clear," from PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness" + -cyte "cell."

Entries linking to leukocyte

*leuk-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "light, brightness."

It forms all or part of: allumette; elucidate; illumination; illustration; lea; leukemia; leuko-; light (n.) "brightness, radiant energy;" lightning; limn; link (n.2) "torch of pitch, tow, etc.;" lucent; lucid; Lucifer; luciferase; luciferous; lucifugous; lucubrate; lucubration; luculent; lumen; Luminal; luminary; luminate; luminescence; luminous; luna; lunacy; lunar; Lunarian; lunate; lunation; lunatic; lune; lunette; luni-; luster; lustrum; lux; pellucid; sublunary; translucent.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit rocate "shines;" Armenian lois "light," lusin "moon;" Greek leukos "bright, shining, white;" Latin lucere "to shine," lux "light," lucidus "clear;" Old Church Slavonic luci "light;" Lithuanian laukas "pale;" Welsh llug "gleam, glimmer;" Old Irish loche "lightning," luchair "brightness;" Hittite lukezi "is bright;" Old English leht, leoht "light, daylight; spiritual illumination," German Licht, Gothic liuhaþ "light."

-cyte

word-forming element used in modern science to mean "of a cell," from Latinized form of Greek kytos "a hollow, receptacle, basket" (see cyto-).

leucocyte (n.)

see leukocyte.

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updated on October 09, 2017

Definitions of leukocyte from WordNet

leukocyte (n.)

blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi; an important part of the body's defense system;

Synonyms: leucocyte / white blood cell / white cell / white blood corpuscle / white corpuscle / wbc

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near leukocyte

*leuk-

leukaemia

leukemia

leukemic

leuko-

leukocyte

lev

Levant

Levantine

levari facias

levator