: a cell (such as a macrophage or neutrophil) that engulfs and consumes foreign material (such as microorganisms) and debris (such as dead tissue cells)
Recent Examples on the WebMetchnikoff didn’t immediately assume that these phagocytes are specialized for disease fighting and pathogen removal alone.Quanta Magazine, 11 Feb. 2020
Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary, from Greek phagein + New Latin -cyta -cyte