corpuscle
[ kawr-puh-suh l, -puhs-uh l ]
/ ˈkɔr pə səl, -pʌs əl /
noun
Biology.
an unattached cell, especially of a kind that floats freely, as a blood or lymph cell.
Anatomy.
a small mass or body forming a more or less distinct part, as the sensory receptors at nerve terminals.
Physical Chemistry.
a minute or elementary particle of matter, as an electron, proton, or atom.
any minute particle.
Also
cor·pus·cule
[kawr-puhs-kyool] /kɔrˈpʌs kyul/.
Origin of corpuscle
OTHER WORDS FROM corpuscle
cor·pus·cu·lar [kawr-puhs-kyuh-ler] /kɔrˈpʌs kyə lər/, cor·pus·cu·lat·ed [kawr-puhs-kyuh-ley-tid] /kɔrˈpʌs kyəˌleɪ tɪd/, cor·pus·cu·lous, adjective cor·pus·cu·lar·i·ty [kawr-puhs-kyuh-lar-i-tee] /kɔrˌpʌs kyəˈlær ɪ ti/, noun in·ter·cor·pus·cu·lar, adjective non·cor·pus·cu·lar, adjectiveWords nearby corpuscle
Example sentences from the Web for corpuscular
British Dictionary definitions for corpuscular
corpuscle
/ (ˈkɔːpʌsəl) /
noun
any cell or similar minute body that is suspended in a fluid, esp any of the red blood corpuscles (erythrocytes) or white blood corpuscles (see leucocytes)
See also erythrocyte, leucocyte
anatomy
the encapsulated ending of a sensory nerve
physics
a discrete particle such as an electron, photon, ion, or atom
Also called: corpuscule (kɔːˈpʌskjuːl)
any minute particle
Derived forms of corpuscle
corpuscular (kɔːˈpʌskjʊlə), adjectiveWord Origin for corpuscle
C17: from Latin
corpusculum a little body, from
corpus body
Medical definitions for corpuscular
corpuscle
[ kôr′pə-səl, -pŭs′əl ]
n.
An unattached body cell, such as a blood or lymph cell.
A rounded, globular mass of cells, such as the pressure receptor on certain nerve endings.
Other words from corpuscle
cor•pus′cu•lar (kôr-pŭs′kyə-lər) adj.Scientific definitions for corpuscular
corpuscle
[ kôr′pə-səl ]
Any of various cellular or small multicellular structures in the body, especially a red or white blood cell.
See particle.