corpuscle

/ˌkɔrˈpʌsəl/

Other forms: corpuscles

The word corpuscle is a medical term for a living cell, such as a red blood cell.

You're most likely to come across the noun corpuscle in a biology class, since it means a small cell, especially one that is free floating. Blood and lymph cells are both considered to be corpuscles because they are suspended in liquid within the body. Sometimes the word is used to mean simply "a small piece of something," which is how corpuscle was originally used, rooted in the Latin corpusculum, "a puny body, an atom, or a particle."

Definitions of corpuscle

1. noun

   either of two types of cells (erythrocytes and leukocytes) and sometimes including platelets
   synonyms: blood cell, blood corpuscle

   types:

   WBC, leucocyte, leukocyte, white blood cell, white blood corpuscle, white cell, white corpuscle

   blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi; an important part of the body's defense system

   packed cells

   a preparation of blood cells separated from the liquid plasma

   RBC, erythrocyte, red blood cell

   a mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues; a biconcave disc that has no nucleus

   myelocyte

   an immature leukocyte normally found in bone marrow

   myeloblast

   a precursor of leukocytes that normally occurs only in bone marrow

   macrocyte, megalocyte

   abnormally large red blood cell (associated with pernicious anemia)

   megaloblast

   abnormally large red blood cell present in pernicious anemia and folic acid deficiency

   lymph cell, lymphocyte

   an agranulocytic leukocyte that normally makes up a quarter of the white blood cell count but increases in the presence of infection

   granulocyte

   a leukocyte that has granules in its cytoplasm

   monocyte

   a type of granular leukocyte that functions in the ingestion of bacteria

   basophil, basophile

   a leukocyte with basophilic granules easily stained by basic stains

   neutrophil, neutrophile

   the chief phagocytic leukocyte; stains with either basic or acid dyes

   eosinophil, eosinophile

   a leukocyte readily stained with eosin

   acanthocyte

   an abnormal red blood cell that has thorny projections of protoplasm

   microcyte

   an abnormally small red blood cell (less than 5 microns in diameter)

   reticulocyte

   an immature red blood cell containing a network of filaments or granules

   sickle cell

   an abnormal red blood cell that has a crescent shape and an abnormal form of hemoglobin

   siderocyte

   an abnormal red blood cell containing granules of iron not bound in hemoglobin

   spherocyte

   an abnormal spherical red blood cell

   target cell

   an abnormal red blood cell with the appearance of a dark ring surrounding a dark center; associated with anemia

   type of:

   somatic cell, vegetative cell

   any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells; a cell that does not participate in the production of gametes
2. noun

   (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
   synonyms: atom, molecule, mote, particle, speck

   types:

   grain

   a relatively small granular particle of a substance

   grinding

   material resulting from the process of grinding

   chylomicron

   a microscopic particle of triglycerides produced in the intestines during digestion; in the bloodstream they release their fatty acids into the blood

   flyspeck

   a tiny dark speck made by the excrement of a fly

   identification particle

   a tiny particle of material that can be added to a product to indicate the source of manufacture

   granule

   a tiny grain

   Microtaggant

   (trademark) a microscopic and traceable identification particle used to trace explosives or other hazardous materials or to prevent counterfeiting

   type of:

   material, stuff

   the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object