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Definition of Karyocyte
Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026
Karyocyte: Any cell that possesses a nucleus.
A neuron (nerve cell) is a karyocyte; it has a nucleus. A mature erythrocyte (red blood cell) is not a karyocyte; it lacks a nucleus.
The term "karyocyte" is made up of "kary-" from the Greek "karyon" meaning "nut or kernel" + "-cyte" from the Greek "kytos" meaning a "hollow vessel" = a hollow vessel (a cell) containing a nut or kernel (a nucleus).