Myxocyte
/ˈmɪk.sə.saɪt/noun
A cell associated with mucus or slime-producing tissue.
Did you know?The first element comes from Greek *myxa* (“mucus, slime”), the same root behind medical words like *myxoma* and *myxoid*, while the second element *-cyte* is from Greek *kytos* (“hollow vessel, cell”).
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
myxa
“mucus, slime”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kytos
“a hollow vessel; later, cell”
19th Century
Scientific Latin/English
myxo-
“a combining form meaning mucus or slime”
19th Century
Scientific English
-cyte
“cell”
Modern English
English
myxocyte
“a mucus-associated cell”