: a minute flattened body (as of ice or a mineral)
especially
: a minute colorless disklike body of mammalian blood that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium
called also blood platelet, thrombocyte
Examples of platelet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Interim Phase 3 data in January showed that the drug reduced episodes of low platelet counts in the blood of patients with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purport, or cTTP.
—
Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 10 Nov. 2023
Other reasons could include marijuana’s triggering abnormal heart rhythms or even activating platelets, cells in the body that can make blood more likely to clot, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
—Akshay Syal, M.d., NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
Diverse donors, blood types and platelets needed Supplies of different types of blood – A, B, O and AB – vary by region of the country.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024
Starting next month, D.C. FEMS will be the largest department in the region to carry a product known as whole blood, which is Type O blood that has not been separated into components and contains red blood cells that carry oxygen and platelets that help blood clot.
—Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024
One way of monitoring for both acute and chronic radiation exposure is to look for drops in the blood cells produced by the bone marrow – white cells, red cells, and platelets.
—Monica Lopez, Scientific American, 27 July 2023
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy can have low red blood cell and platelet counts.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024
On an average day in the United States, 29,000 units of red blood cells, 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed, the Red Cross said.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024
Blood Clotting Prevention Aspirin also inhibits the formation of platelets in the blood, so many people at risk for heart disease take daily low-dose aspirin to help prevent blood clots.
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2023
Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 10 Nov. 2023
Other reasons could include marijuana’s triggering abnormal heart rhythms or even activating platelets, cells in the body that can make blood more likely to clot, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
—Akshay Syal, M.d., NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
Diverse donors, blood types and platelets needed Supplies of different types of blood – A, B, O and AB – vary by region of the country.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024
Starting next month, D.C. FEMS will be the largest department in the region to carry a product known as whole blood, which is Type O blood that has not been separated into components and contains red blood cells that carry oxygen and platelets that help blood clot.
—Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024
One way of monitoring for both acute and chronic radiation exposure is to look for drops in the blood cells produced by the bone marrow – white cells, red cells, and platelets.
—Monica Lopez, Scientific American, 27 July 2023
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy can have low red blood cell and platelet counts.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024
On an average day in the United States, 29,000 units of red blood cells, 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed, the Red Cross said.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024
Blood Clotting Prevention Aspirin also inhibits the formation of platelets in the blood, so many people at risk for heart disease take daily low-dose aspirin to help prevent blood clots.
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'platelet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near platelet
Cite this Entry
“Platelet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/platelet. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
platelet
noun
plate·let
ˈplāt-lət 
: one of the tiny colorless disk-shaped bodies of the blood of mammals that assist in blood clotting
Medical Definition
platelet
noun
plate·let
ˈplāt-lət
: a minute colorless anucleate disklike body of mammalian blood that is derived from fragments of megakaryocyte cytoplasm, that is released from the bone marrow into the blood, and that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium
called also blood platelet, thrombocyte
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