hemocytometer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2+Technical, Medical, Scientific
Quick answer
What does “hemocytometer” mean?
A specialized microscope slide with a precisely ruled grid, used to count blood cells.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specialized microscope slide with a precisely ruled grid, used to count blood cells.
A device used in hematology and cell biology to quantify the concentration of cells, typically blood cells or other suspended cells, in a liquid sample. The process involves loading a sample into a chamber of known depth and volume and manually counting cells within the marked grid under a microscope. The term can also refer to the counting chamber itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'haemocytometer' vs. US 'hemocytometer'. Pronunciation follows the spelling difference for the initial syllable ('haemo-' vs. 'hemo-').
Connotations
Identical technical meaning. No difference in connotation.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both dialects, confined to specialized fields. The US spelling is prevalent globally in scientific literature.
Grammar
How to Use “hemocytometer” in a Sentence
Count [noun] with a hemocytometer.Perform a [noun] count using a hemocytometer.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hemocytometer” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The haemocytometer method is considered the gold standard for manual counts.
- We followed a standard haemocytometer protocol.
American English
- The hemocytometer count showed elevated white blood cells.
- A hemocytometer-based assay was performed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare; only in the context of medical device manufacturing or biotech sales.
Academic
Standard term in biology, medicine, hematology, and laboratory science research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core term in laboratory protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and clinical diagnostics for manual cell counts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hemocytometer”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hemocytometer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hemocytometer”
- Misspelling: 'hemacytometer' (an accepted variant), 'hemocytometre' (incorrect).
- Confusing it with a general microscope slide.
- Using it as a verb, e.g., 'I will hemocytometer the sample.' (Incorrect; you *count using* a hemocytometer).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While originally designed for blood (hemo-), it is widely used to count any type of animal, plant, or yeast cells in suspension.
It is the most common and classic design of a hemocytometer, featuring a specific grid pattern (the Neubauer ruling) that defines the counting areas. 'Improved Neubauer' is a modern standard.
It is inexpensive, provides a direct visual assessment of cell morphology and viability (e.g., with trypan blue stain), and is often used as a reference method to validate or calibrate automated systems, especially for non-standard cell types.
There is no functional difference. 'Hemacytometer' is an older or variant spelling. 'Hemocytometer' (emphasizing 'cyto' for cell) is more common in modern usage.
A specialized microscope slide with a precisely ruled grid, used to count blood cells.
Hemocytometer is usually technical, medical, scientific in register.
Hemocytometer: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhiː.məʊ.saɪˈtɒm.ɪ.tər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhiː.moʊ.saɪˈtɑː.mə.t̬ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of HEMO (blood) + CYTO (cell) + METER (measurer). It's the 'blood-cell-measurer'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A specialized 'ruled map' or 'grid' for navigating and taking a census of a microscopic population.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a hemocytometer?