platelet

[ pleyt-lit ]

nounCell Biology.
  1. a small platelike body, especially a blood platelet.

Origin of platelet

1
First recorded in 1890–95; plate1 + -let

Words Nearby platelet

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How to use platelet in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for platelet

platelet

/ (ˈpleɪtlɪt) /


noun
  1. a minute cell occurring in the blood of vertebrates and involved in clotting of the blood: Formerly called: thrombocyte

Origin of platelet

1
C19: a small plate

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 platelet

platelet

[ plātlĭt ]


  1. Any of the numerous small, round cell fragments found in the blood of mammals that function in the clotting of blood. Platelets contain no nuclei and are formed in the bone marrow from precursor cells called megakaryocytes. Platelets contribute to the coagulation process by adhering to damaged blood vessels, fibrinogen, and other platelets. An inadequate number of platelets leads to uncontrolled bleeding.

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