lymphocyte

American  

[lim-fuh-sahyt] / ˈlɪm fəˌsaɪt /

noun

Anatomy.

1. a type of white blood cell having a large, spherical nucleus surrounded by a thin layer of nongranular cytoplasm.

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lymphocyte British  

/ ˌlɪmfəʊˈsɪtɪk, ˈlɪmfəʊˌsaɪt /

noun

1. a type of white blood cell formed in lymphoid tissue See also B-lymphocyte T-lymphocyte

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lymphocyte Scientific  

/ lĭm′fə-sīt′ /

1. Any of various white blood cells, including B cells and T cells, that function in the body's immune system by recognizing and deactivating specific foreign substances called antigens. B cells act by stimulating the production of antibodies. T cells contain receptors on their cell surfaces that are capable of recognizing and binding to specific antigens. Lymphocytes are found in the lymph nodes and spleen and circulate continuously in the blood and lymph.

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Other Word Forms

• lymphocytic adjective

Etymology

Origin of lymphocyte

First recorded in 1885–90; lympho- + -cyte

Compare meaning

How does lymphocyte compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• lymphoblast vs. lymphocyte
• plasma cell vs. lymphocyte

Example Sentences

"If we can figure out how to direct this new lymphocyte population to differentiate into a protective effector cell, it could help the host get rid of the Leishmania parasite."

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

The virus itself enters a key cell that’s important in defending your body from outside pathogens, and that cell is the lymphocyte.

From Scientific American • Mar. 27, 2023

A memory cell is an antigen-specific B or T lymphocyte that does not differentiate into effector cells during the primary immune response, but that can immediately become effector cells upon re-exposure to the same pathogen.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Physicians will routinely look to measures like a patient’s age, lymphocyte count and white blood cell count to gauge how sick he or she may be.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2020

When the connection is made, and a particular lymphocyte with a particular receptor is brought into the presence of the particular antigen, one of the greatest small spectacles in nature occurs.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas