a polymorphonuclear leukocyte characterized by the presence of numerous large or prominent refractile cytoplasmic granules that are fairly uniform in size and bright yellow-red or orange when treated with Wright or similar stains; the nuclei are usually larger than those of neutrophils, do not stain as deeply, and characteristically have two lobes (a third lobe is sometimes interposed on the connecting strand of chromatin); these leukocytes are motile phagocytes with distinctive antiparasitic functions; they also phagocytose antigen-antibody complexes. SYN: acidophilic leukocyte, eosinocyte, eosinophil, eosinophile, oxyphil (2), oxyphile, oxyphilic leukocyte.