basophil

[ bey-suh-fil ]

noun
  1. Biology. a basophilic cell, tissue, organism, or substance.

  2. Anatomy. a white blood cell having a two-lobed nucleus and basilophilic granules in its cytoplasm.

adjective
  1. Biology. basilophilic.

Origin of basophil

1
First recorded in 1885–90; bas(ic dye) + -o- + -phil
  • Also ba·so·phile [bey-suh-fahyl, -fil]. /ˈbeɪ səˌfaɪl, -fɪl/.

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British Dictionary definitions for basophil

basophil

basophile

/ (ˈbeɪsəfɪl) /


adjectiveAlso: basophilic (ˌbeɪsəˈfɪlɪk)
  1. (of cells or cell contents) easily stained by basic dyes

noun
  1. a basophil cell, esp a leucocyte

Origin of basophil

1
C19: from Greek; see base 1 + -phile

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012