apheresis

[ uh-fer-uh-sis for 1; af-uh-ree-sis for 2 ]

noun
  1. Also aphaeresis. the loss or omission of one or more letters or sounds at the beginning of a word, as in squire for esquire, or count for account.

  2. Medicine/Medical. the withdrawal of whole blood from the body, separation of one or more components, and return by transfusion of remaining blood to the donor.

Origin of apheresis

1
1605–15; <Late Latin aphaeresis<Greek aphaíresis a taking away, equivalent to aphairé(în) to take away (ap-ap-2 + haireîn to snatch) + -sis-sis

Other words from apheresis

  • aph·e·ret·ic [af-uh-ret-ik], /ˌæf əˈrɛt ɪk/, adjective

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British Dictionary definitions for apheresis

apheresis

aphaeresis

/ (əˈfɪərɪsɪs) /


noun
  1. the omission of a letter or syllable at the beginning of a word

  2. a method of collecting blood from donors that enables its different components, such as the platelets or plasma, to be separated out

Origin of apheresis

1
C17: via Late Latin from Greek, from aphairein to remove

Derived forms of apheresis

  • apheretic or aphaeretic (ˌæfəˈrɛtɪk), adjective

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