phagocyte

P3H4A1G2O1C3Y4T1E1
/ˈfæɡəsaɪt/

noun

A cell of the immune system, such as a neutrophil, macrophage or dendritic cell, that engulfs and destroys viruses, bacteria and waste materials, or in the case of mature dendritic cells; displays antigens from invading pathogens to cells of the lymphoid lineage.

Similar
scavenger cell
OriginGerman Phagocyt →
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Meanings

phagocyte1

nounphagocyte (plural phagocytes)

plural phagocytes

  1. biologyA cell of the immune system, such as a neutrophil, macrophage or dendritic cell, that engulfs and destroys viruses, bacteria and waste materials, or in the case of mature dendritic cells; displays antigens from invading pathogens to cells of the lymphoid lineage.

phagocyte2

verbphagocyte (third-person singular simple present phagocytes, present participle phagocyting, simple past and past participle phagocyted)

present singular third person phagocytes · participle present phagocyting · participle past phagocyted · past phagocyted

  1. transitiveTo phagocytize

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna cell that engulfs and digests debris and invading microorganisms

Similar
scavenger cell
Broader
somatic cellvegetative cell

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

phagocyte · noun

  1. GermanPhagocyt
  2. Englishphagocyte

From the German Phagocyt, modified on the pattern of -cyte; phago- + -cyte.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

phagocyte · verb

  1. Frenchphagocyter
  2. Englishphagocyte

Either from the noun or from the French phagocyter.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan fagòcit
  • fagòcitcell of the immune system
Chinese Mandarin 吞噬細胞 /吞噬细胞
  • 吞噬細胞 /吞噬细胞 (tūnshì xìbāo)cell of the immune system
Czech fagocyt
  • fagocytcell of the immune system
Dutch fagocyt
  • fagocytcell of the immune system
Finnish syöjäsolu, fagosyytti
  • syöjäsolucell of the immune system
  • fagosyytticell of the immune system
French phagocyte
  • phagocytecell of the immune system
German Phagozyt
  • Phagozytcell of the immune system
Hungarian fagocita, falósejt
  • fagocitacell of the immune system
  • falósejtcell of the immune system
Italian fagocita
  • fagocitacell of the immune system
Japanese 食細胞
  • 食細胞 (shokusaibō)cell of the immune system
Portuguese fagócito
  • fagócitocell of the immune system
Romanian fagocit
  • fagocitcell of the immune system
Russian фагоци́т
  • фагоци́т (fagocít)cell of the immune system
Spanish fagocito
  • fagocitocell of the immune system
Swedish fagocyt
  • fagocytcell of the immune system
Welsh ffagocyt
  • ffagocytcell of the immune system
Cite this entry
APA

phagocyte. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phagocyte

MLA

“phagocyte.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phagocyte. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phagocyte,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phagocyte.

Source: phagocyte on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.