cytology

[ sahy-tol-uh-jee ]
See synonyms for cytology on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the study of the microscopic appearance of cells, especially for the diagnosis of abnormalities and malignancies.

Origin of cytology

1
First recorded in 1885–90; cyto- + -logy

Other words from cytology

  • cy·to·log·ic [sahyt-l-oj-ik], /ˌsaɪt lˈɒdʒ ɪk/, cy·to·log·i·cal, adjective
  • cy·to·log·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • cy·tol·o·gist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cytology in a sentence

  • There are, however, certain facts familiar to the cytologist that furnish a clue as to how such an interchange might take place.

British Dictionary definitions for cytology

cytology

/ (saɪˈtɒlədʒɪ) /


noun
  1. the study of plant and animal cells, including their structure, function, and formation

  2. the detailed structure of a tissue, as revealed by microscopic examination

Derived forms of cytology

  • cytological (ˌsaɪtəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjective
  • cytologically, adverb
  • cytologist, noun

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

Scientific definitions for cytology

cytology

[ sī-tŏlə-jē ]


  1. The scientific study of the formation, structure, and function of cells.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.