granulocyte

[ gran-yuh-loh-sahyt ]

/ ˈgræn yə loʊˌsaɪt /

noun Cell Biology.

a circulating white blood cell having prominent granules in the cytoplasm and a nucleus of two or more lobes.

Nearby words

granule cell, granulite, granulitic, granulo-, granuloblast, granulocyte, granulocytic leukemia, granulocytic sarcoma, granulocytic series, granulocytopenia, granulocytopoiesis

Origin of granulocyte

First recorded in 1905–10; granule + -o- + -cyte

Also called polymorph.

Related formsgran·u·lo·cyt·ic

[gran-yuh-loh-sit-ik] /ˌgræn yə loʊˈsɪt ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for granulocyte

granulocyte

/ (ˈɡrænjʊləˌsaɪt) /

noun

any of a group of phagocytic leucocytes having cytoplasmic granules that take up various dyesSee also eosinophil, neutrophil (def. 1), basophil (def. 2)

Derived Formsgranulocytic (ˌɡrænjʊləˈsɪtɪk), adjective

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

Medicine definitions for granulocyte

granulocyte

[ grăn′yə-lō-sīt′ ]

n.

Any of a group of white blood cells having granules in the cytoplasm.

Related formsgran′u•lo•cyt′ic (-sĭt′ĭk) adj.

Science definitions for granulocyte

granulocyte

[ grăn′yə-lō-sīt′ ]

Any of various white blood cells that contain granular material in the cytoplasm and are immunologically active, especially in phagocytosis. Granulocytes are the most numerous of the white blood cells in humans.