A non-Hodgkin's lymphoma initially diagnosed on the cervical smear in a 69-year-old asymptomatic female is described. The cytologic findings strongly suggested the presence of a malignant lymphoid neoplasm: neoplastic cells were round, loosely arranged, with scanty cytoplasm and cleaved nuclei. Histological evaluation of the cervical biopsy revealed a diffuse lymphoid proliferation of mononucleated cleaved cells beneath an ulcerated epithelium. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were positive for B cell markers. Reports on cytologic features of primary malignant lymphoma of the cervix are not frequent in the literature. We emphasize the importance of their recognition and the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphoma from other neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions.