platelet

noun

plate·​let ˈplāt-lət How to pronounce platelet (audio)
: a minute flattened body (as of ice or a mineral)
especially : a minute colorless disklike body of mammalian blood that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium

called also blood platelet, thrombocyte

Examples of platelet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bone Marrow Failure Effects The bone marrow is where infection-fighting white blood cells, oxygen-carrying red blood cells, and platelets that assist in blood clotting are made. — Gagandeep Brar, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025 Low platelets may occur as a complication of infection, a side effect of certain medications, or a problem with normal platelet production. — Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2025 The decreased platelet count, necessary for clotting, that was first detected Saturday was stable. — Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025 Various things can cause low platelet counts, including side effects from medicines or infections, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. — Landon Mion, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for platelet

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of platelet was in 1888

Phrases Containing platelet

Rhymes for platelet

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Cite this Entry

“Platelet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/platelet. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

platelet

noun
plate·​let ˈplāt-lət How to pronounce platelet (audio)
: one of the tiny colorless disk-shaped bodies of the blood of mammals that assist in blood clotting

Medical Definition

platelet

noun
plate·​let ˈplāt-lət How to pronounce platelet (audio)
: a minute colorless anucleate disklike body of mammalian blood that is derived from fragments of megakaryocyte cytoplasm, that is released from the bone marrow into the blood, and that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium

called also blood platelet, thrombocyte

More from Merriam-Webster on platelet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about platelet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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