Dictionary

hairy cell en · NOUN

Etymology

Coined in 1966.

Meanings

1. A kind of malignant B cell in an uncommon form of leukemia of unknown cause, having a "hairy" appearance under the microscope.
   • Studies of the viable blood cells with phase contrast microscopy showed peculiar cells that had numerous short villi and were arbitrarily called “hairy cells.” 1966 February, Robert Schrek, ““Hairy” Cells in Blood in Lymphoreticular Neoplastic Disease and “Flagellated” Cells of Normal Lymph Nodes”, in Blood, volume 27, number 2, page 199:

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