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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One version contained the genetic changes associated with leukemia and the other matched the preleukemic changes to the gene in the frequent donor group, and also the non-preleukemic changes observed in the frequent donor group. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025 The Department of Health and Human Services has linked long-term benzene exposure in the air to causing leukemia. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025 Baby Noah arrived just hours after Elissa’s mother unfortunately passed away from leukemia. Escher Walcott, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 In one of her first movie roles, Mandy Moore stars in A Walk to Remember as Jamie, a high schooler with leukemia who becomes entangled with popular bad boy Landon (Shane West). Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leukemia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leukemia. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!