-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

And xl li. payede we for the roofe, the whiche xl li. we hadde of Richard Steynour, Cytesen of Norwiche, and more hadde we nought of the good whiche he bequeathe us on his ded-bedde in the same Cyte, a worthly place clepyd Tomlonde whiche was with holde fro us be untrewe man his seketoures.

From Project Gutenberg

The other, a copy of which is given here, was found in the ruins of an ancient ch�teau of Picardy, and bears the inscription, "LE: SCEL: DE: LEUECQUE: DE: LA: CYTE: DE: PINON"—"The seal of the bishop of the city of Pinon."

From Project Gutenberg

Heaven weepes, the Saints do shed celestiall teares, 272 They feare thy fall, and cyte thee with remorse, To knock thy conscience, moving pitie there, Willing to fence thee from the range of hell, Hub.

From Project Gutenberg

The ancient editions appeared as “The names of the Baylyfs, Custos, Mayres, and Sherefs of the Cyte of London, with the Chartour and Lybartyes of the same Cyte, &c. &c., with other dyvers matters good and necessary for every Cytezen to understand and know;”—a humble title equally fallacious with the higher one of a “Chronicle,” for it has described many objects of considerable curiosity, more interesting than “mayors and sheriffs,” and even “the charter and liberties” of “the cyte.”

From Project Gutenberg

We wote full well, where he doth ly Byfore the cyte of Hungry,’ .

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?