leuko-

American  

1. a combining form with the meanings “white,” “white blood cell,” used in the formation of compound words.

   leukopoiesis; leukotomy.

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leuko- British  

combining form

1. a variant of leuco-

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Usage

What does leuko- mean? Leuko- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “white” or "white blood cell." It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology. Leuko- comes from the Greek leukós, meaning “white, bright.” One of the most familiar words related to leuko- is leukemia, 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 leuko-?The combining form leuco-, as in leucocyte, is a common variant of leuko-. When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, leuko- becomes leuk-, as in leukapheresis.

Etymology

Origin of leuko-

< Greek leuko-, combining form of leukós white, bright