leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
: an acute or chronic disease in humans and other warm-blooded animals characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues and often in the blood
leukemic adjective or noun

Examples of leukemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Those drugs include insulin to treat diabetes, blood thinners to prevent clots, as well as a drug to treat leukemia and lymphoma, and treatments for autoimmune arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2024 In 2018, a federal jury ruled that Jacobs Engineering had failed to provide the workers with adequate protective gear and exposed them to coal ash in concentrations likely capable of causing lung cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, and coronary artery disease, among other illnesses. Jared Sullivan, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024 Grammy-winning singer Jack Jones, the voice behind the iconic theme song for The Love Boat, died Wednesday following a battle with leukemia. Michael Ausiello, TVLine, 24 Oct. 2024 The lingering residues can lead to certain health problems like brain cancer, leukemia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson’s Disease, Subash said. Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for leukemia 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leukemia was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near leukemia

Cite this Entry

“Leukemia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leukemia. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

leukemia

noun
leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
: a disease of warm-blooded animals including human beings that is a kind of cancer in which there is an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues and often in the blood
leukemic adjective

Medical Definition

leukemia

noun
leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə How to pronounce leukemia (audio)
variants also leucemia
lü-ˈkē- also lü-ˈsē-
or chiefly British leukaemia also leucaemia
: an acute or chronic disease of unknown cause in humans and other warm-blooded animals that involves the blood-forming organs, is characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells in the tissues of the body with or without a corresponding increase of those in the circulating blood, and is classified according to the type of white blood cell most prominently involved see acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, feline leukemia, lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia, monocytic leukemia, myelogenous leukemia, promyelocytic leukemia

More from Merriam-Webster on leukemia

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