basophil

[ bey-suh-fil ]
/ ˈbeɪ sə fɪl /

noun

Biology. a basophilic cell, tissue, organism, or substance.
Anatomy. a white blood cell having a two-lobed nucleus and basophilic granules in its cytoplasm.

adjective

Biology. basophilic.
Also ba·so·phile [bey-suh-fahyl, -fil] /ˈbeɪ səˌfaɪl, -fɪl/.

Origin of basophil

First recorded in 1885–90; bas(ic dye) + -o- + -phil

Words nearby basophil

baso-, basoerythrocyte, basoerythrocytosis, basolateral, bason, basophil, basophil adenoma, basophilia, basophilic, basophilic leukemia, basophilic leukocyte

Example sentences from the Web for basophil

  • In the young granules there is prominent a basophil portion that becomes less and less marked as the cell grows older.

    Histology of the Blood |Paul Ehrlich

  • He distinguishes hyaline, acidophil and basophil cells, and derives all from the lymphocytes.

    Histology of the Blood |Paul Ehrlich

British Dictionary definitions for basophil

basophil

basophile

/ (ˈbeɪsəfɪl) /

adjective Also: basophilic (ˌbeɪsəˈfɪlɪk)

(of cells or cell contents) easily stained by basic dyes

noun

a basophil cell, esp a leucocyte

Word Origin for basophil

C19: from Greek; see base 1 + -phile

Medical definitions for basophil

basophil
[ bā′sə-fĭl ]

n.

A cell, especially a white blood cell, having granules that stain readily with basic dyes.