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Glite Dictionary
microphage

microphage

1 8.6
A white blood cell that eats and digests small germs or particles
  • noun
  • /ˈmaɪkrəˌfeɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : microfago
  • During the immune response, the microphage digests small particles that could harm the body.

Examples

  • The microphage quickly engulfed the bacteria, preventing the infection from spreading.

  • It seems beta endorphin doesn't significantly impact... the microphage activity.

    Still Alice (2014)

  • Researchers studied how the microphage identifies and eliminates foreign invaders in the bloodstream.

Synonyms

phagocyte
vsmicrophage
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A cell that eats and destroys bacteria and dead cells to help the body's immune system

is a specific white blood cell type that targets small particles and bacteria

Surface Forms

microphage singular
microphages plural

Morphology

microphage = phage (opaque) = micro + phage

The word is formed with the productive prefix micro- plus phage, but the scientific meaning 'a white blood cell that engulfs small particles' is not easily recoverable for an average learner from the modern word phage.

Etymology

Microphage comes from Greek parts micro- meaning 'small' and -phage meaning 'to eat', the same micro- you see in microscope. So a microphage is a 'small eater', a white blood cell that surrounds and digests tiny particles or bacteria.