Definition

A medical condition where there are fewer white blood cells in the blood than normal, which can make it harder for the body to fight infections.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with leukopenia after reviewing her blood test results.

Conversation

I heard that your friend is in the hospital; what happened?

Yeah, she has leukopenia, which is really worrying.

Oh no, that sounds serious! What does that mean for her health?

It means her white blood cell count is low, making her more vulnerable to infections.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Leukopenia → It is formed from "leuko-" (from Greek "leukos", meaning white) and "-penia" (from Greek "penia", meaning deficiency or lack). The term describes a deficiency of white blood cells in the body.

Memory Tip

Think of 'white' ('leuko-') and 'deficiency' ('-penia') to remember that leukopenia means a lack of white blood cells.

Visually Confused Words