osteocyte

[ os-tee-uh-sahyt ]

nounCell Biology.
  1. a cell of osseous tissue within the bone matrix; a bone cell.

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Origin of osteocyte

1
First recorded in 1940–45; osteo- + -cyte

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

Scientific definitions for osteocyte

osteocyte

[ ŏstē-ə-sīt′ ]


  1. A cell characteristic of mature bone tissue. It is derived from osteoblasts and embedded in the calcified matrix of bone. Osteocytes are found in small, round cavities called lacunae and have thin, cytoplasmic branches.

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