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• lymph
  lymph

  noun

  a clear yellowish, slightly alkaline, coagulable fluid, containing white blood cells in a liquid resembling blood plasma, that is derived from the tissues of the body and conveyed to the bloodstream by the lymphatic vessels.
• lymph-
  lymph-

  variant of lympho- before a vowel.

lymph

¹ American  

[limf] / lɪmf /

noun

lymphs plural

1. Anatomy, Physiology. a clear yellowish, slightly alkaline, coagulable fluid, containing white blood cells in a liquid resembling blood plasma, that is derived from the tissues of the body and conveyed to the bloodstream by the lymphatic vessels.

2. Archaic. the sap of a plant.

3. Archaic. a stream or spring of clear, pure water.

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lymph- ² American  

1. variant of lympho- before a vowel.

   lymphoma.

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lymph British  

/ lɪmf /

noun

1. the almost colourless fluid, containing chiefly white blood cells, that is collected from the tissues of the body and transported in the lymphatic system

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lymph Scientific  

/ lĭmf /

1. The clear fluid flowing through the lymphatic system that serves to bathe and nourish the tissues of the body. It is composed of blood plasma that has leaked out through the capillaries into the tissues.

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lymph Cultural  

1. A clear, colorless fluid that circulates through the lymphatic system. Lymph fills the tissue spaces of the body.

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Usage

What does lymph- mean? Lymph- is a combining form used like a prefix indicating lymph, an important liquid in the body that contains white blood cells and is conveyed to the bloodstream through lymphatic vessels. Lymph- is used in many medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology. Lymph- comes from the Latin lympha, meaning “water.” This Latin root has been connected to the Greek word nýmphē, source of nymph in English. Discover more at our entry for nymph. Lymph- is a variant of lympho-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use lympho- article. Closely related to lymph- and lympho- is lymphangi-, a combining form meaning “lymph vessel” and connected to the combining form angio-.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lymphs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lymph

1620–30; < Latin lympha water (earlier *limpa; see limpid); pseudo-Greek form, by association with nympha < Greek nýmphē nymph

Example Sentences

"Lymph nodes aren't just passive waiting rooms for immune cells, they actively train and educate T cells, and send them off to do their job," said Professor Kallies.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2025

Lymph nodes -- tiny glands throughout the body, mainly in the neck, armpits and groin -- are part of the immune systems of mammals, including mice and people.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2024

Lymph nodes blew up to a painful size, then disappeared.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2023

Lymph nodes are filled with lymphocytes that purge infecting cells.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Lymph was taken with them so that his wife could vaccinate him if it should become necessary.

From The Life of Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson by Sanchez, Nellie Van de Grift