lymphocyte

American  

[lim-fuh-sahyt] / ˈlɪm fəˌsaɪt /

noun

Anatomy.

• lymphocytes
  plural

1. a type of white blood cell having a large, spherical nucleus surrounded by a thin layer of nongranular cytoplasm.

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lymphocyte British  

/ ˌlɪmfəʊˈsɪtɪk, ˈlɪmfəʊˌsaɪt /

noun

1. a type of white blood cell formed in lymphoid tissue See also B-lymphocyte T-lymphocyte

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lymphocyte Scientific  

/ lĭm′fə-sīt′ /

1. Any of various white blood cells, including B cells and T cells, that function in the body's immune system by recognizing and deactivating specific foreign substances called antigens. B cells act by stimulating the production of antibodies. T cells contain receptors on their cell surfaces that are capable of recognizing and binding to specific antigens. Lymphocytes are found in the lymph nodes and spleen and circulate continuously in the blood and lymph.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• lymphocytic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lymphocytes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lymphocyte

First recorded in 1885–90; lympho- + -cyte

Compare meaning

How does lymphocyte compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• lymphoblast vs. lymphocyte
• plasma cell vs. lymphocyte

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lymphocyte lymphocytes

The study also mentions that cells similar to this new CD4 T lymphocyte population have been observed in mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and in mice carrying the H. polygyrus intestinal worm.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2024

The virus itself enters a key cell that’s important in defending your body from outside pathogens, and that cell is the lymphocyte.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 27, 2023

Figure 33.9 This scanning electron micrograph shows a T lymphocyte, which is responsible for the cell-mediated immune response.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Physicians will routinely look to measures like a patient’s age, lymphocyte count and white blood cell count to gauge how sick he or she may be.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2020

When the connection is made, and a particular lymphocyte with a particular receptor is brought into the presence of the particular antigen, one of the greatest small spectacles in nature occurs.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

When the body faces infection or cancer, cytotoxic T lymphocytes bind tightly to their target and form the immune synapse.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2026

Mantle cell lymphoma is rare and affects white blood cells called B lymphocytes.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

Measles destroys lymphocytes that defend against other bugs to make way for ones that defend against measles, an immunity won at the cost of other protections.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes, which form part of your immune system.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2024

Not all animals have lymphocytes with the same range of information, as you might expect.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas