eosinophil

[ ee-uh-sin-uh-fil ]

noun

1. Histology. any cell, tissue, organism, or substance that has an affinity for eosin and other acid stains.
2. Cell Biology. a leukocyte having eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm and usually a bilobate nucleus.

adjective

1. eosinophilic.

eosinophil

/ ˌiːəʊˈsɪnəˌfɪl; ˌiːəʊsɪˈnɒfɪləs; ˌiːəʊˈsɪnəˌfaɪl /

noun

1. a leucocyte with a multilobed nucleus and coarse granular cytoplasm that stains readily with acidic dyes such as eosin

Derived Forms

• ˌeoˌsinoˈphilic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of eosinophil¹

First recorded in 1885–90; eosin + -o- + -phil(e)

Example Sentences

Brightling says blood tests can provide helpful information on eosinophils and other immune system players that give rise to a person’s asthma symptoms.

From Time

The mast cell granulations are stained pure blue, the eosinophil red, the neutrophil in mixed colour.

From Project Gutenberg

The hæmoglobin and eosinophil granules are red, the nuclei stain in the colour of hæmatoxylin.

From Project Gutenberg

The true eosinophil granulation remains, on the other hand, quite unchanged under these conditions.

From Project Gutenberg

In their general appearance, in the size of the cell and the granulation, they completely correspond to the eosinophil cell.

From Project Gutenberg

The eosinophil cells oscillate at this period about the upper normal limit.

From Project Gutenberg