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 example, the effect of genetics on white blood cell levels in the body differed between smokers and nonsmokers. —Arun Durvasula, The Conversation, 14 May 2025

Benefits of this activity include reducing stress hormones and increasing white blood cell levels. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025

This type of cancer is caused by abnormal production of white blood cells. —Gagandeep Brar, Verywell Health, 14 Feb. 2025

All your levels, your white blood cells, everything, just your immune system just kind of crashes. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 17 Apr. 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