corpuscular

[ kawr-puhs-kyuh-ler ]

adjective

1. Biology. of or relating to a corpuscle, or unattached cell, especially of the kind that floats freely, such as a blood or lymph cell:

   Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is the average size of red blood cells.

2. Anatomy. of or relating to a corpuscle, a small mass or body of cells forming a more or less distinct part, such as the sensory receptors at nerve endings.
3. Physical Chemistry. of or relating to a corpuscle, a minute or elementary particle of matter, such as an electron, proton, or atom.
4. being, relating to, or similar to a particle:

   Do the experiment with something known to be corpuscular rather than wavelike, such as marbles.

Other Words From

• cor·pus·cu·lar·i·ty [kawr-puhs-ky, uh, -, lar, -i-tee], noun
• in·ter·cor·pus·cu·lar adjective
• non·cor·pus·cu·lar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of corpuscular¹

First recorded in 1660–70; Latin corpuscul(um) “small body” ( corpuscle ( def ) ) + -ar ¹( def )

Example Sentences

In English there was an alternative: Robert Boyle invented the term ‘the corpuscularian philosophy’ in 1662 to cover both ancient atomism and Descartes’ new corpuscular theory.

From Literature

A German astronomer, Ludwig Biermann, suggested that particles emitted from the sun — what he called solar corpuscular radiation — were shaping the comet tails.

From New York Times

Imagine Washington of the late 19th century, a time when crepuscular night often turned corpuscular.

From Washington Post

We validated that the mean corpuscular volume is elevated before diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia; both have associated variants in the gene IKZF1.

From Science Magazine

This new hypothesis, known as the theory of undulations, after the great Isaac Newton had declared himself in favor of the corpuscular theory, was finally adjudged by the majority of students to be erroneous.

From Project Gutenberg