Leuc

Leuc is not a standalone entry in most dictionaries; it is best understood as a morpheme, a combining form derived from the Greek leukos, meaning “white.” It is used across several scientific fields to indicate whiteness or light coloration in the concepts to which it is attached.

In biology and medicine, leuc- appears in terms describing white blood cells and related conditions: leucocyte (also spelled leukocyte) refers to a white blood cell; leucocytosis is an increase in white blood cells, and leucopenia is a decrease. The disease leukemia (or leukaemia) derives from the same root, referring to an abnormal proliferation of white blood cells. The amino acid leucine incorporates the same etymological origin in its name.

In geology and mineralogy, leuc- denotes light-colored materials. Leucite is a white potassium aluminum silicate mineral; leucosome refers to a light-colored component in metamorphic rocks; leucocratic describes rocks with a high proportion of light-colored minerals; leucogranite is a light-colored granite variety.

Notes: When encountered, leuc- typically appears as part of longer terms rather than as a stand-alone word. The root reflects historical conventions in scientific naming that reference color, rather than implying a specific function.