: a cell (as of a protozoan causing malaria) that divides to produce gametes
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebBut the dye also kills the malaria parasites in the gametocyte stage, the point at which mosquitoes pick it up from human blood and pass it on to new victims. Donald G. Mcneil Jr., New York Times, 9 Feb. 2018 Dutch, American and Malian scientists working in Ouélessébougou, Mali, found that adding methylene blue to a typical treatment regimen cleared gametocytes from the bloodstream within two days. Donald G. Mcneil Jr., New York Times, 9 Feb. 2018 Most malaria drugs do not target gametocytes, meaning that someone may still spread the disease for a week or more after treatment. Donald G. Mcneil Jr., New York Times, 9 Feb. 2018
Word History
Etymology
gameto- + -cyte
First Known Use
1899, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
gametocyte
noun
ga·me·to·cyte gə-ˈmēt-ə-ˌsīt
: a cell (as of a protozoan causing malaria) that divides to produce gametes