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basophil

American  
[bey-suh-fil] / ˈbeɪ sə fɪl /
Also basophile

noun

  1. Biology. a basophilic cell, tissue, organism, or substance.

  2. Anatomy. a white blood cell having a two-lobed nucleus and basilophilic granules in its cytoplasm.


adjective

  1. Biology. basilophilic.

basophil British  
/ ˈbeɪsəfɪl /

adjective

  1. (of cells or cell contents) easily stained by basic dyes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a basophil cell, esp a leucocyte

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of basophil

First recorded in 1885–90; bas(ic dye) + -o- + -phil

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A basophil is a leukocyte that, like a neutrophil, releases chemicals to stimulate the inflammatory response as illustrated in Figure 33.5.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

A basophil has large granules that stain dark blue to purple and a two-lobed nucleus.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Nucleus and protoplasm are basophil, nevertheless in many methods of staining the protoplasm possesses a much stronger affinity for the basic stain than does the nucleus.

From Histology of the Blood Normal and Pathological by Myers, W.

In the young granules there is prominent a basophil portion that becomes less and less marked as the cell grows older.

From Histology of the Blood Normal and Pathological by Myers, W.

That this is certainly not the case is shewn by the fact that the "basophil" granulation of the eosinophil cells does not in metachromatic staining shew the metachromasia characteristic for the mast cells.

From Histology of the Blood Normal and Pathological by Myers, W.