leucocyte Phys.
(ˈl(j)uːkəsaɪt)
Also leukocyte.
[f. leuco- + -cyte.]
A colourless corpuscle, e.g. one of the white blood-corpuscles, or one of those found in lymph, connective tissue, etc.
| 1870 Rolleston Anim. Life Introd. 18 note, In the absence..of certain animal ‘cytoids’ or ‘leucocytes’ the vaccine poison is inoperative. 1898 Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 415 At the present day, the name ‘leucocyte’ has a somewhat wider significance than that of a mere synonym for the different forms of the white corpuscles. 1911 Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 25 Feb. 581/1 Alexin increases in the serum under conditions which favor disintegrating of leukocytes. Ibid., The ‘alexin’ is synonymous with Metchnikoff's leukocytic ferment. Ibid., Leukocytic extract is essentially the same in its action as alexin. Ibid., The alexin varies with the degree of leukocytosis. 1947 Leukocytosis [see granulocytosis]. 1951 A. Grollman Pharmacol. & Therapeutics xxxi. 732 Mercurial poisoning is sometimes accompanied by a leukocytosis. 1971 J. Song Path. Sickle Cell Dis. xviii. 355 Fever, vomiting, nausea, and leukocytosis. 1973 Nature 1 June 290/1 We cultured peripheral blood leukocytes for 24 or 48 h with phytohaemagglutinin. |
| Comb. 1879 J. R. Reynolds Syst. Med. V. 237 A scraping of the cut surface presents under the microscope a large number of..leucocyte-like corpuscles. |
Hence
ˌleucoˈcytal a., of or pertaining to leucocytes.
ˌleucoˈcytary = prec. ˌleucoˈcytic a., of or pertaining to leucocytes; characterized by the presence of leucocytes.
ˌleucocyˈtosis [after
Gr. words in -ωσις] (see
quot. 1866).
| 1879 J. R. Reynolds Syst. Med. V. 217 An overgrowth of this tissue..may be associated with..*leucocytal excess. |
| 1900 Pop. Sci. Monthly Jan. 382 We can see the coloring matter penetrating the *leucocytary protoplasmic mass. |
| 1879 J. R. Reynolds Syst. Med. V. 232 The albumen in *leucocytic blood is said to be diminished. 1898 Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 637 Other organs [than the spleen] are not infrequently the seat of diffuse leucocytic infiltrations. |
| 1866 A. Flint Princ. Med. (1880) 68 According to the nomenclature proposed by Virchow, a temporary increase in the number of white corpuscles in the blood is called *leucocytosis. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. II. 563 The leucocytosis diminishes rapidly with the fall of temperature. |