killer cell

American

noun

Immunology.

any of several types of lymphocyte or leukocyte capable of destroying cells that have acquired foreign characteristics, as a tumor cell or virus-infected cell.

killer cell British

noun

a type of white blood cell that is able to kill cells, such as cancer cells and cells infected with viruses

"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

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killer cell

Partners who showed no sign of infection were more likely to have a robust natural killer cell response, which could result in a stronger defense against infection.

From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023