leucosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareTechnical/Medical/Veterinary
Quick answer
What does “leucosis” mean?
A pathological increase in the number of white blood cells.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A pathological increase in the number of white blood cells; a general term for diseases affecting leukocytes (white blood cells).
In veterinary medicine, specifically used for avian leukosis, a group of viral diseases in poultry, often involving tumours.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling follows respective conventions: 'leucosis' (UK), 'leukosis' (US). The 'k' spelling is also common in international scientific literature.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both variants.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse in both regions. Slightly higher frequency in specialist veterinary contexts in agricultural areas.
Grammar
How to Use “leucosis” in a Sentence
suffer from leucosisdiagnose (avian) leucosiscontrol leucosisThe leucosis was caused by...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “leucosis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The flock was leucosed.
- The virus leucoses the bird's lymphatic system.
American English
- The flock was leukosed.
- The virus leukoses the bird's lymphatic system.
adjective
British English
- leucotic lesions
- a leucotic hen
American English
- leukotic lesions
- a leukotic hen
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Potential use in reports for poultry farming or veterinary pharmaceutical industries.
Academic
Exclusively in veterinary science, pathology, and specialised medical journals. Not used in general academic writing.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in veterinary pathology for specific diseases, especially 'avian leukosis virus (ALV)' infections.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “leucosis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “leucosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “leucosis”
- Misspelling as 'leucoses' (plural) instead of 'leucoses' is rare but possible.
- Using it as a synonym for all types of human leukaemia (it is not standard in modern human medicine).
- Pronouncing the 'c' as /k/ in British English (it should be /s/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While both involve white blood cells, 'leucosis' is a broader pathological term and in modern usage is most specific to veterinary diseases, particularly in birds. 'Leukaemia' is the standard term for specific cancers of the blood-forming tissues in humans.
In British English, it is pronounced /ljuːˈkəʊsɪs/ (lyoo-KOH-sis). The 'c' is soft, like an 's'.
The term is historically connected to diseases like leukaemia, but in current professional English, it is not the standard term for human conditions. You would use 'leukaemia' or specific diagnostic names instead.
The UK spelling is typically 'leucosis' (with a 'c'), while the US spelling is 'leukosis' (with a 'k'), following the pattern of leukaemia/leukemia.
A pathological increase in the number of white blood cells.
Leucosis is usually technical/medical/veterinary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'LEUCO' (white, as in leukocyte/white blood cell) + 'OSIS' (a diseased condition). So, a diseased condition of the white cells.
Conceptual Metaphor
Disease as an invasion or imbalance (of the blood system).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'leucosis' most commonly used today?