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

1650–60; < Latin corpusculum, equivalent to corpus body + -culum -cle1

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, adjective

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), adjective

Word Origin for corpuscle

C17: from Latin corpusculum a little body, from corpus body

Medical definitions for corpuscular

corpuscle
[ kôrpə-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•puscu•lar (kôr-pŭskyə-lər) adj.

Scientific definitions for corpuscular

corpuscle
[ kôrpə-səl ]

Any of various cellular or small multicellular structures in the body, especially a red or white blood cell.
See particle.