leucocyte
Meaning
a white blood cell, especially one that does not contain hemoglobin and is involved in the body's immune response.
Structure
Usage
a high count of leucocytes in the blood can indicate an infection.
neutrophils and lymphocytes are both types of leucocyte.
the main function of a leucocyte is to protect the body against disease.
Etymology
the term 'leucocyte' is a modern scientific compound formed directly from ancient greek roots. the first element, 'leuco-', derives from 'leukos', a word signifying the color white, brightness, or clarity. the second element, '-cyte', originates from 'kytos', which in ancient biology referred to a hollow container or cavity, a concept later adopted in histology to denote a biological cell. thus, the word's literal construction as 'white cell' perfectly describes its appearance under a microscope, distinguishing these colorless immune cells from the red, hemoglobin-filled erythrocytes. this transparent morphological naming logic, moving from the descriptive greek to a precise modern medical term, is characteristic of international scientific vocabulary.
Analysis
leuco: from greek 'leukos', meaning 'white, bright, clear'. cyte: from greek 'kytos', meaning 'hollow vessel, cell'.