leuco-

American  

1. variant of leuko-.

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leuco- British  

combining form

1. white or lacking colour

   leucocyte

   leucorrhoea

   leukaemia

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Usage

What does leuco- mean? Leuco- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “white” or "white blood cell. It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology. Leuco- comes from the Greek leukós, meaning “white, bright.” One of the most familiar words related to leuco- is leukemia, sometimes spelled leucemia. Leukemia is any of the cancers of the bone marrow that prevent the normal manufacture of blood cells. The English word leukemia comes immediately from the German Leukämie, in turn based on the Greek leukós. What are variants of leuco-?A common spelling variant of leuco- is leuko-, as in leukoblast. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use leuko- article. When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, leuco- becomes leuc-, as in leucemia.

Etymology

Origin of leuco-

from Greek leukos white