Corpuscle

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɔːˌpʌsəl/

Definitions

1. A minute structure in the body, like a blood or lymph cell, that plays a crucial role in physiological functions
2. A tiny particle associated with bodily systems, particularly blood, that aids in various biological processes
3. A tiny cell within the body, such as a blood or lymph cell, that performs essential roles in bodily functions ; an extremely small particle often linked to biological materials

Etymology: "Corpuscle" is a diminutive of the Latin "corpus," meaning "body," so its literal sense is "little body." The Latin "corpusculum" was built by adding a diminutive ending to that root, the same kind of formation that gives English words like "particle" from "part" or "cubicle" from "cubare." The word carries that sense of smallness into English as a term for a tiny bodily unit. The surprise is how far the meaning travelled from its root. "Corpus" stayed with the whole human frame, giving us "corpse," "corporal," and "corporate," but "corpuscle" picked out the tiniest pieces of that body, the individual cells in blood and lymph. Its English use came from the study of living matter, and it has kept the same core idea of a small, discrete body.

Synonyms: cell, particle, molecule, unit, element