Definition

Relating to small red blood cells that are smaller than normal.

Example

The doctor diagnosed the patient with microcytic anemia due to iron deficiency.

Comparatives & Superlatives

Conversation

I just learned about microcytic anemia in my biology class.

Oh really? What does that mean?

It refers to a type of anemia where the red blood cells are smaller than normal.

That sounds interesting! I didn’t know there were different types of anemia.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Microcytic → It is formed from "micro-" (from Greek "mikros", meaning small) and "cytic" (from Greek "kytos", meaning cell). The word "microcytic" refers to cells that are smaller than normal, particularly in the context of blood cells.

Memory Tip

Think of 'small' ('micro-') cells ('cytic') to remember that 'microcytic' describes cells that are smaller than usual.

Visually Confused Words