platelet

noun

plate·​let ˈplāt-lət 

: a minute flattened body (as of ice or a mineral)

especially : a minute colorless disklike body of mammalian blood that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium

called also blood platelet, thrombocyte

Examples of platelet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But that’s not all: E. coli infections may also cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which, according to Gounder, is characterized by damage to blood vessels, blood clots, and kidney failure, accompanied by a drop in both red cells and platelets. —Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2024

In each of the tests, xylitol increased how quickly platelets formed blood clots, which could eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke. —Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 13 June 2024

Vampire facials, also known as platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedures, involve taking blood from a patient’s arm and separating it into platelets and cells. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2024

The Red Cross urged eligible donors of all blood types — especially type O — to give blood or platelets following the storm. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing platelet

• blood platelet

Kids Definition

platelet

noun

plate·​let ˈplāt-lət 

: one of the tiny colorless disk-shaped bodies of the blood of mammals that assist in blood clotting

Medical Definition

platelet

noun

plate·​let ˈplāt-lət 

: a minute colorless anucleate disklike body of mammalian blood that is derived from fragments of megakaryocyte cytoplasm, that is released from the bone marrow into the blood, and that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium

called also blood platelet, thrombocyte