A type of white blood cell that primarily fights parasitic infections and plays a key role in allergic reactions. These cells contain granules that stain bright pink with eosin dye and release toxic substances against large pathogens.
From Greek 'eos' meaning dawn (referring to the pink color) and 'philein' meaning to love, named in the 1870s by Paul Ehrlich. The term describes these cells' affinity for the acidic dye eosin, which gives them their characteristic pink appearance under microscopy.
Eosinophils are the body's anti-parasite specialists, but they're also the troublemakers in asthma and allergies! They can live for weeks in tissues, much longer than most other white blood cells, making them persistent players in chronic inflammatory conditions.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.