cytology

American  

[sahy-tol-uh-jee] / saɪˈtɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of the microscopic appearance of cells, especially for the diagnosis of abnormalities and malignancies.

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cytology British  

/ saɪˈtɒlədʒɪ, ˌsaɪtəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the study of plant and animal cells, including their structure, function, and formation

2. the detailed structure of a tissue, as revealed by microscopic examination

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cytology Scientific  

/ sī-tŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of the formation, structure, and function of cells.

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Other Word Forms

• cytologic adjective
• cytological adjective
• cytologically adverb
• cytologist noun

Etymology

Origin of cytology

First recorded in 1885–90; cyto- + -logy

Example Sentences

At present, all samples tested in the new system for HPV and found to be negative go on for cytology screening.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2023

Cancer Research UK said that as HPV primary testing is more accurate and sensitive than cytology, it would encourage the transition to happen "as soon as possible".

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2022

Two years later, he received a master’s degree from Texas Tech in cytology, the study of cells.

From Washington Post • Mar. 18, 2022

The contributions of cytology continued in the early twentieth century with the work of Walter Sutton.

From Nature • Apr. 15, 2019

From this botany and zoology have been derived, and from these again many other new sciences, such as physiology, morphology, bacteriology, anthropology, cytology, entomology, and all the different agricultural sciences.

From The History of Education; educational practice and progress considered as a phase of the development and spread of western civilization by Cubberley, Ellwood Patterson