leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
: an acute or chronic disease in humans and other warm-blooded animals characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues and often in the blood
leukemic adjective or noun

Examples of leukemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In October 2006, Acutis fell ill and was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025 The 15-year-old Italian — born in London to Italian parents and later living in Italy — died of leukemia in 2006, but his impact is still felt by the Catholic community worldwide — including in Miami. Lauren Costantino september 6, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025 Acutis died of leukemia nearly two decades ago at just 15 years old. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025 Historically, stem cells are used to treat blood cancers and disorders, such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia, conditions for which there are few other treatments. Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leukemia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leukemia was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Leukemia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leukemia. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

leukemia

noun
leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
: a disease of warm-blooded animals including human beings that is a kind of cancer in which there is an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues and often in the blood
leukemic adjective

Medical Definition

leukemia

noun
leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
variants also leucemia
lü-ˈkē- also lü-ˈsē-
or chiefly British leukaemia also leucaemia
: an acute or chronic disease of unknown cause in humans and other warm-blooded animals that involves the blood-forming organs, is characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues of the body with or without a corresponding increase of those in the circulating blood, and is classified according to the type of white blood cell most prominently involved see acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, feline leukemia, lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia, monocytic leukemia, myelogenous leukemia, promyelocytic leukemia

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