leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

: 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

lü-ˈkē-mik 

adjective or noun

Examples of leukemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What Happened Next Changed His Family's Future (Exclusive) In an interview with PEOPLE, Whitson, who is also a father, shares how he was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2016 after visiting the emergency room for a severe headache and flu. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024

In May, Syrian officials announced that Asma had been diagnosed with leukemia, forcing her to temporarily withdraw from public life. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 9 Dec. 2024

On the evening of May 5, 1995 – the night before his SAT exams – Harley landed in the hospital with acute leukemia at age 17. —Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024

Weinstein’s medical issues include chronic myeloid leukemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, obesity and high blood pressure, among other diagnoses, according to the legal filing. —Chloe Melas, NBC News, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing leukemia

• hairy cell leukemia
• lymphocytic leukemia
• myelogenous leukemia

Kids Definition

leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

: 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

-mik 

adjective

Medical Definition

leukemia

noun

leu·​ke·​mia lü-ˈkē-mē-ə 

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