rouleaux
Definition
Noun (plural: rouleaux) - A cylindrical roll or bundle, especially of coins wrapped in paper. - She counted the rouleaux of pennies on the counter. (A stack of coins rolled in a paper wrapper.)
- In medicine, a stack of red blood cells that adhere to each other, often seen in certain diseases or when blood is stored.
- The blood smear showed rouleaux formation, indicating a possible infection. (A group of red blood cells arranged like a roll of coins.)
Usage Examples
- (Wrapped rolls of coins.)
- (Clumps of red blood cells in a stacked pattern.)
Advanced Usage
- "rouleaux formation": a medical term describing the aggregation of red blood cells in a stacked, coin-like pattern, often associated with inflammation or multiple myeloma.
- The patient's blood test revealed prominent rouleaux formation, prompting further investigation. (The red blood cells were clumped in a stacked arrangement.)
Variants and Related Words
- Rouleau (singular): the base form of the word, meaning a single roll or bundle.
- He handed me a single rouleau of dimes. (One wrapped roll of coins.)
Synonyms
- Roll: a cylindrical mass or bundle.
- She unrolled the rouleau of bills. (A roll of banknotes or coins.)
- Cylinder: a solid geometric shape with parallel sides and circular ends, used metaphorically for a rouleau.
- The coins formed a neat cylinder. (A shape similar to a rouleau.)
Related Idioms
- "In rouleaux": arranged in a rolled or stacked manner.
- The coins were stored in rouleaux for easy counting. (Wrapped in paper rolls.)
Notes on Usage
- The term is most commonly used in financial contexts (for coin wrappers) and medical contexts (for blood cell aggregation). It is less frequent in everyday speech.