Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

sickle cell

American  

noun

Pathology.
sickle cells plural
  1. an abnormal red blood cell having an elongated, crescentlike shape due to the presence of an abnormal hemoglobin.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of sickle cell

First recorded in 1925–30; so called from the fact that the cells are often sickle-shaped

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The father of a teenager from Guinea with sickle cell disease who died days after he was arrested for cheating in an exam has told the BBC he blames the authorities for his death.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2026

The Cambridge, Mass.-based biopharmaceutical company said it has discontinued its pociredir program for the treatment of sickle cell disease and launched “a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value.”

From Barron's Jun. 2, 2026

Donors are vital for securing a steady supply of blood for cancer patients, new mothers, those living with long-term conditions such as sickle cell disease, as well as during emergencies.

From BBC May 26, 2026

A model of how one of GluBio’s experimental ‘molecular glue’ drugs causes two proteins in the human body, WIZ and cereblon, to stick to each other in a way designed to relieve sickle cell disease.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 11, 2026

Dae took a month off from school to care for his mother, who was sick with sickle cell.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training