red blood cell

noun

variants or less commonly red blood corpuscle or red cell or red corpuscle

: any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and in mammals are typically biconcave disks which lack a nucleus and cellular organelles and are formed from nucleated cells of the red bone marrow

Note: The number of red blood cells ranges from four to six million in each cubic millimeter of normal human blood. The red color of blood is due to the presence of hemoglobin within the red blood cells.

called also erythrocyte

compare white blood cell

Examples of red blood cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Men also need to be screened for conditions that may worsen with testosterone replacement such as sleep apnea, high risk for prostate cancer, heart failure or heart disease, or urinary symptoms of thrombophilia (high levels of red blood cells). — Alexander P. Cole, STAT, 18 July 2026

In addition, testosterone therapy increases red blood cell production, making the blood thicker, and potentially increases the risk of blood clot, stroke and heart attack. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 17 July 2026

Testosterone is a hormone produced primarily in the testicles that helps maintain men’s bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength and mass, facial and body hair, red blood cell production and sperm production. — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Strawberries are a leading source of vitamin B9 (folate), which helps the body form red blood cells and assists cell function. — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for red blood cell

• bagatelle
• calomel
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• citadel
• clientele
• commonweal
• coronel
• decibel
• demoiselle
• fontanelle

Kids Definition

red blood cell

noun

: a reddish cell of the blood that contains hemoglobin and carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues

called also erythrocyte, red blood corpuscle, red cell, red corpuscle

Medical Definition

red blood cell

noun

: any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and are responsible for the red color of vertebrate blood

called also erythrocyte, red blood corpuscle, red cell, red corpuscle

compare white blood cell