Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

corpuscle

noun
cor·​pus·​cle | \ ˈkȯr-(ˌ)pə-səl \

Definition of corpuscle

1 : a minute particle
2a : a living cell especially : one (such as a red or white blood cell or a cell in cartilage or bone) not aggregated into continuous tissues
b : any of various small circumscribed multicellular bodies

Other Words from corpuscle

corpuscular \ kȯr-​ˈpə-​skyə-​lər \ adjective

First Known Use of corpuscle

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for corpuscle

borrowed from Latin corpusculum "small body, minute particle," from corpus-, base of corpor-, corpus "body" + -culum, diminutive suffix (variant of -ulus with nouns of the third, fourth and fifth declensions) — more at midriff

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about corpuscle

Statistics for corpuscle

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for corpuscle

The first known use of corpuscle was in 1660

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for corpuscle

corpuscle

noun

English Language Learners Definition of corpuscle

biology : one of the cells that move in the body; especially : a blood cell

See the full definition for corpuscle in the English Language Learners Dictionary

corpuscle

noun
cor·​pus·​cle | \ ˈkȯr-ˌpə-səl \

Kids Definition of corpuscle

: a very small cell (as a red blood cell) that floats freely in the blood

corpuscle

noun
cor·​pus·​cle | \ ˈkȯr-(ˌ)pəs-əl \

Medical Definition of corpuscle

1 : a living cell especially : one (as a red or white blood cell or a cell in cartilage or bone) not aggregated into continuous tissues
2 : any of various small circumscribed multicellular bodies —usually used with a qualifying term Malpighian corpuscles

Other Words from corpuscle

corpuscular \ kȯr-​ˈpəs-​kyə-​lər \ adjective

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on corpuscle

Spanish Central: Translation of corpuscle

Nglish: Translation of corpuscle for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about corpuscle

Comments on corpuscle

What made you want to look up corpuscle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

substantive

important, real, or meaningful

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

TRENDING NOW

  1. cache BuzzFeed reports on Trump-Cohen documents.

  2. intransigence, intransigent Trump cancels Davos trip.

  3. white supremacist Steve King discusses views.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games