leucaemia or more commonly leukaemia, also (esp. (N American) leukemia, and (more strictly formed), leuchaemia /loo-kēˈmi-ə noun

(Gr haima blood) a sometimes fatal cancerous disease in which too many leucocytes are accumulated in the body, associated with changes in the lymphatic system and enlargement of the spleen

leucaeˈmic adjective

leucaeˈmogen noun

A substance that encourages the development of leukaemia

leucaemogenˈesis noun

leucaemogenˈic adjective

leucisˈtic adjective (biology)

Lacking pigmentation in the skin, but differing from an albino in having blue eyes

leuˈco-base or leuˈco-compound noun

A colourless reduction product of a dye that can be converted back to the dye by oxidation

leuˈcoblast noun

An immature cell which will develop into a leucocyte

leucocratˈic adjective

Of igneous rocks, light in colour, due to a low content of iron and magnesium

leuˈcocyte /-kō-sīt/ noun

(Gr kytos container, used as if cell) a white corpuscle of the blood or lymph

leucocythaemia /-sī-thēˈmi-ə/ noun

(Gr haima blood) leukaemia

leucocytic /-sitˈik/ adjective

leucocytolˈysis noun

(Gr lysis dissolution) breaking down of the leucocytes

leucocytopēˈnia noun

(Gr peniā poverty) leucocyte deficiency

leucocytopēˈnic adjective

leucocytōˈsis noun

The presence of an excessive number of white corpuscles in the blood

leucocytotˈic adjective

leucoderˈma or leucoderˈmia noun

(Gr derma skin) a condition in which white patches, surrounded by a pigmented area, appear in the skin

leucoderˈmal or leucoderˈmic adjective

leucopēˈnia noun

Leucocytopenia

leucopēnˈic adjective

leucoplakia /lū- or loo-kō-pläˈki-ə/ noun

(Gr plax, plakos a flat surface) the stage of a chronically inflamed area at which the surface becomes hard, white and smooth

leucoplast /lūˈ or looˈkō-pläst/ noun (Gr plastos formed, from plassein to form; botany)

A starch-forming body in protoplasm (also leucoplasˈtid)

leucopoiesis /lū- or loo-kō-poi-ēˈsis/ noun

(Gr poieein to make) the production of white blood cells

leucorrhoea /lū- or loo-kō-rēˈə/ noun

(Gr rhoiā, from rheein to flow) an abnormal mucous or muco-purulent discharge from the vagina, the whites

leucosin /lūˈ or looˈkō-sin/ noun

1. A cereal albumin
2. A polysaccharide present in some algae

leuˈcotome /-kō-tōm/ noun

A needle used in leucotomies

leucotomy /lū- or loo-kotˈə-mi/ noun

(Gr tomē a cutting) a surgical scission of the white association fibres between the frontal lobes of the brain and the thalamus to relieve cases of severe schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis