Phrase guide

natural killer cell

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response as part of the innate immune system.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: immunology, medicine, sciences

Examples

  • 1984, Meir Kende, Joseph Gainer, Michael A. Chirigos (editors), Chemical Regulation of Immunity in Veterinary Medicine: Proceedings of a Symposium, A. R. Liss, page 138, Natural killer cell activity is currently an area of active interest in cellular immunology (Herberman 1981).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: large granular lymphocyte, NK, NK cell

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

The description "natural killer" refers to the fact that they do not require activation to kill cells missing MHC class I "self" markers.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hungarian: természetes ölősejt — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response
  • Indonesian: sel pembunuh alami — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response
  • Japanese: ナチュラルキラー細胞 (nachuraru kirā saibō) — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response
  • Northern Kurdish: kujerexaneya sirûştî — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response
  • Turkish: doğal katil hücre — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response
  • Turkish: doğal öldürücü hücre — cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response