neutrophil

1 of 2

adjective

neu·​tro·​phil ˈnü-trə-ˌfil 

ˈnyü-

variants or neutrophilic

ˌnü-trə-ˈfi-lik 

ˌnyü-

: staining to the same degree with acid or basic dyes

neutrophil granulocytes

neutrophil

2 of 2

noun

: a granulocyte that is the chief phagocytic white blood cell of the blood

Examples of neutrophil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After the two weeks on the red-meat diet, the mice had a larger amount of immune cells – especially neutrophils and macrophages – in the colon. —New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2025

Activation of the protein leads to rapid mobilization of immune cells, including gd T cells, monocytes and neutrophils, which induce inflammation. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025

Female bodies also have higher counts of active neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell that fights infections. —Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 7 July 2025

Mitochondria in the neutrophils of lupus patients fail to sense bacterial lactate properly. —Andrew Monteith, The Conversation, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

International Scientific Vocabulary neutro- (from Latin neutr-, neuter neither) + -phil

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for neutrophil

• basophil
• carboxyl
• daffodil
• overkill
• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill

Kids Definition

neutrophil

noun

neu·​tro·​phil

ˈn(y)ü-trə-ˌfil

: a cell with fine grains in it that is the white blood cell doing most of the work in collecting and taking in stray and foreign matter

Medical Definition

neutrophil

1 of 2 adjective

neu·​tro·​phil ˈn(y)ü-trə-ˌfil 

variants or neutrophilic

ˌn(y)ü-trə-ˈfil-ik 

also neutrophile

ˈn(y)ü-trə-ˌfīl 

: staining to the same degree with acid or basic dyes

neutrophil granulocytes

neutrophil

2 of 2 noun

variants also neutrophile

: a granulocyte that is the chief phagocytic white blood cell