white blood cell

noun

: any of the blood cells that are colorless, lack hemoglobin, contain a nucleus, and include the lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils

called also leukocyte, white blood corpuscle, white cell

compare red blood cell

Examples of white blood cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stage 4 lymphoma is a cancer of white blood cells called lymphocytes that has spread outside the lymph nodes to other parts of the body. —Gagandeep Brar, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025

Telomere length in white blood cells was measured at the start of the study, at the two-year mark and after four years. —Reem Amro, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2025

These abnormal cells, called leukemia cells, don’t develop into normal white blood cells. —Health, 24 May 2025

At a microscopic level, acute inflammation includes our bodies’ sending fluid, proteins and white blood cells to the sites of infections or injuries, which help fight foreign pathogens and promote healing. —Akshay Syal, M.d., NBC News, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for white blood cell

• mademoiselle
• materiel
• subparallel
• antiparallel
• antipersonnel
• bagatelle
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• citadel
• clientele
• commonweal

Kids Definition

white blood cell

noun

: a colorless blood cell (as a lymphocyte) that lacks hemoglobin and contains a nucleus

called also leukocyte, white blood corpuscle, white cell, white corpuscle

Medical Definition

white blood cell

noun

: any of the blood cells of the immune system that are colorless, lack hemoglobin, contain a nucleus, and include the lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils along with their precursors and derivatives (as macrophages) : leukocyte

—abbreviation WBC

called also white blood corpuscle, white cell, white corpuscle

compare red blood cell