red blood cell

noun

variants or less commonly red blood corpuscle or red cell or red corpuscle
: any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and in mammals are typically biconcave disks which lack a nucleus and cellular organelles and are formed from nucleated cells of the red bone marrow

Note: The number of red blood cells ranges from four to six million in each cubic millimeter of normal human blood. The red color of blood is due to the presence of hemoglobin within the red blood cells.

called also erythrocyte

compare white blood cell

Examples of red blood cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The device also has a near-zero rate of hemolysis during blood collection, which is when red blood cells break down during or after the collection process making a sample unusable, according to the company. Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 Copper is needed for red blood cell production, nerve cell and neurotransmitter synthesis, and energy production.24 Peanuts are a filling snack option, especially when paired with fiber-rich fruit. Jillian Kubala, Health, 17 Mar. 2025 Poppers can also cause an abnormal amount of hemoglobin to collect in the blood, low red blood cells, damage to the eyes and skin inflammation and irritation. Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 14 Mar. 2025 Routine blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC), can detect anemia (low red blood cell count or function) or low platelets (cells active in blood clotting). Steffini Stalos, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for red blood cell

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red blood cell was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Red blood cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20blood%20cell. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

red blood cell

noun
: a reddish cell of the blood that contains hemoglobin and carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues

called also erythrocyte, red blood corpuscle, red cell, red corpuscle

Medical Definition

red blood cell

noun
: any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and are responsible for the red color of vertebrate blood

called also erythrocyte, red blood corpuscle, red cell, red corpuscle

compare white blood cell

More from Merriam-Webster on red blood cell

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