a neutrophilic granulocyte, the most frequent of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and also the most active phagocyte among the various types of white blood cells; when treated with Wright stain (or similar preparations), the fairly abundant cytoplasm is faintly pink, and numerous tiny, slightly refractile, relatively bright pink or violet-pink, diffusely scattered granules are recognizable in the cytoplasm; the deeply stained blue or purple-blue nucleus is sharply distinguished from the cytoplasm and is distinctly lobated, with thin strands of chromatin connecting the three to five lobes.