-cyte

1. variant of cyto- as final element in a compound word:

   leucocyte.

-cyte

combining form

1. indicating a cell

   spermatocyte

Word History and Origins

Origin of -cyte¹

from New Latin -cyta, from Greek kutos container, body, hollow vessel

Example Sentences

Yet notwithstanding so long a residence in the Low Countries, he describes himself as “mercer of ye cyte of London.”

From Project Gutenberg

Stonde vp/ take thy wyfe and thy two doughters and that that is at hande/ lest thou perish in the synne of the cyte.

From Project Gutenberg

And all the menchildern were circumcysed whatsoeuer went out at the gates of his cyte.

From Project Gutenberg

And vnto Hemor and Sichem his sonne harkened all that went out at the gate of his cyte.

From Project Gutenberg

Th Hemor and Sichem went vnto the gate of their cyte/ and comened with the men of their cyte saynge.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use -cyte

What does -cyte mean?

The combining form -cyte is used like a suffix meaning “cell.” It is often used in medical and scientific terms, especially to name different types of cells.

The form -cyte comes from the Greek kýtos, meaning “container,” “receptacle,” “body.”

A corresponding form of -cyte combined to the beginning of words is cyto-, which you can learn more about at our Words That Use article for the form.

Examples of -cyte

One example of a medical term that features the combining form -cyte is hemocyte, “a blood cell.”

The first part of the word, hemo-, means “blood.” As we’ve seen, -cyte means “cell.” Hemocyte literally translates to, well, “blood cell.”

A leukocyte is a white blood cell (leuko- meaning “white”). An erythrocyte is a red blood cell (erythro- meaning “red”).

What are some words that use the combining form -cyte?

• adipocyte
• blastocyte
• chondrocyte
• hepatocyte
• lemmocyte
• leptocyte
• lymphocyte
• oncocyte
• normocyte
• neurocyte
• thrombocyte
• thymocyte

What are some other forms that -cyte may be commonly confused with?

• -cyst
• cyano-
• cyno-
• cysto-

Break it down!

The combining form hepato- refers to the liver. What is a hepatocyte?