leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

: 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

lü-ˈkē-mik 

adjective or noun

Examples of leukemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers analyzed national mortality data for all types of cancers over multiple decades, finding that colorectal cancer now kills more people under 50 than all other types — including lung, breast, brain and leukemia. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, other leading causes of cancer death in people under 50, including lung, leukemia and breast cancer, have decreased by up to 6% annually. —Dr. Joseph Wendt, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026

Lung cancer dropped from ranking first to fourth and leukemia dropped from third to fifth, according to the report. —Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026

Just weeks ago, John’s niece Tatiana Schlossberg died at the age of 35, after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia. —Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing leukemia

• hairy cell leukemia
• lymphocytic leukemia
• myelogenous leukemia

Rhymes for leukemia

• premia
• academia
• acidemia
• azotemia
• bacteremia
• hyperaemia
• hyperemia
• hypoxemia
• septicaemia
• septicemia
• thalassaemia
• thalassemia

Kids Definition

leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

: 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

-mik 

adjective

Medical Definition

leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

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