corpuscle

C2 Topic:Communication

US /ˈkɔɹˌpʌsəl/ UK /ˈkɔːˌpʌsəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #108264

Meanings

1

noun
a blood cell, especially a red or white blood cell; now chiefly used in older or nontechnical language

The microscope revealed an abnormally shaped red corpuscle.
2

noun
historical physics: a minute particle of matter or radiation

Early theories described light as a stream of tiny corpuscles.
3

noun
a very small particle or speck of any substance

A single corpuscle of dust drifted through the beam of light.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a blood cell, especially a... blood cell

2 noun · historical physics: a... particle

3 noun · a very small particle or... speck particle

Word family

Forms corpuscles

Derived forms corpuscularcorpuscularismcorpuscularian

Related forms erythrocyteleukocyteatom molecule photon

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

white corpuscle
A white blood cell involved in defending the body against infection and other threats.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin corpusculum ("small body"), the diminutive of corpus ("body"). English first used it for minute physical particles; medicine then applied it to free cells in blood and other bodily fluids, as in red and white corpuscles.

Topics

Communication Register & Style

External links

# corpuscle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɔɹˌpʌsəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɔːˌpʌsəl/
**Frequency rank:** 108264

## Meanings
1. a blood cell, especially a red or white blood cell; now chiefly used in older or nontechnical language
2. historical physics: a minute particle of matter or radiation
3. a very small particle or speck of any substance

## Examples
- The microscope revealed an abnormally shaped red corpuscle.
- Early theories described light as a stream of tiny corpuscles.
- A single corpuscle of dust drifted through the beam of light.

## Synonyms
- blood cell
- particle
- speck

## Derived Forms
- corpuscular
- corpuscularism
- corpuscularian

## Related Forms
- erythrocyte
- leukocyte
- atom
- molecule
- photon

## Etymology
From Latin corpusculum ("small body"), the diminutive of corpus ("body"). English first used it for minute physical particles; medicine then applied it to free cells in blood and other bodily fluids, as in red and white corpuscles.

## Topics
- Communication
- Register & Style

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