corpuscle
UK: ˈkɔːpʌs(ə)l | US: ˈkɔːrpəs(ə)l
n. a minute particle or cell in the body, especially a red or white blood cell.
n. (physics) a tiny discrete mass of matter or energy.
corpuscle = corpus<body> + cle<diminutive suffix>
- corpus (from Latin corpus, meaning "body")
- cle (diminutive suffix, from Latin -culus, indicating smallness)
Etymology Origin:
The word corpuscle originates from Latin corpusculum, a diminutive of corpus ("body"). It entered English in the 17th century via French corpuscule, reflecting the scientific trend of naming microscopic structures. The suffix -cle conveys the idea of smallness, emphasizing the tiny nature of blood cells or particles. The term logically evolved from "small body" to its modern scientific meanings in biology and physics.
Red blood corpuscles transport oxygen throughout the body.
Under the microscope, the corpuscles appeared as tiny, spherical structures.
The physicist studied the behavior of energy corpuscles in quantum theory.
White corpuscles play a crucial role in the immune system.
Early scientists debated whether light was composed of waves or corpuscles.