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

For those who received the standard treatment, the most common were pain at the injection site, diarrhea and similar white blood cell changes. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025

For one, they're loaded with vitamin C, which helps your body make certain white blood cells. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 8 Dec. 2025

Hogan's history of leukemia, a form of cancer that affects white blood cells, was not previously known. —Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 20 Nov. 2025

To determine the causal link between Epstein-Barr and lupus, Robinson and his co-authors focused on B cells — white blood cells that help fight off infections. —Aria Bendix, NBC news, 13 Nov. 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