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Glite Dictionary
eosinophile

eosinophile

9.9
A white blood cell that helps fight parasites and appears during allergic reactions
  • noun
  • /ˌiːəˈsɪnəˌfaɪl/
  • Specialized
: eosinófilo
  • Blood tests revealed an elevated count of eosinophiles in the patient, indicating an allergic response.

Examples

  • Blood tests revealed an elevated count of eosinophiles in the patient.

  • Researchers studied the role of eosinophiles in combating parasitic infections.

  • The presence of eosinophiles is often associated with allergic reactions.

  • The eosinophile count in her blood was elevated.

  • Many eosinophiles are found in allergic reactions.

  • Researchers studied the role of eosinophiles in combating parasitic infections and improving immunity.

  • The presence of eosinophiles is often associated with allergic reactions, such as asthma and hay fever.

Synonyms

eosinophil
vseosinophile
  • Specialized
2 7.5

A white blood cell that helps fight parasites and takes part in allergic reactions

is the alternative spelling of the same white blood cell term

Surface Forms

eosinophile singular
eosinophiles plural

Morphology

eosinophile = eosin (semi-transparent) = eosin + phile

The structure is clear as 'eosin' plus the scientific suffix '-phile' meaning having an affinity for, but the term is specialized rather than transparently accessible to a general learner.

Etymology

Eosinophile comes from eosin, a pink dye named after the Greek word for 'dawn', and -phile, a part meaning 'lover' or 'one that likes'. So an eosinophile is a white blood cell that 'likes' the eosin dye and turns pink under the microscope, which is why these cells are linked to allergies and parasites.