A large white blood cell that circulates in the bloodstream and differentiates into macrophages or dendritic cells when it enters tissues. These cells are important for immune surveillance and tissue repair.
From Greek 'monos' meaning single and 'kytos' meaning cell, named in the early 1900s. The term refers to these cells' single, large, kidney-shaped nucleus, distinguishing them from multi-lobed neutrophils.
Monocytes are like shape-shifting immune cells - they start as one thing in the blood but transform into completely different cells (macrophages or dendritic cells) once they reach tissues. This transformation is so dramatic that scientists didn't initially realize they were the same cell type!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.