phle·bot·o·my   (flĭ-bŏt'ə-mē)    n.   pl. phle·bot·o·mies The act or practice of opening a vein by incision or puncture to remove blood as a therapeutic treatment. Also called venesection. [Middle English flebotomie, from Old French flebothomie, from Late Latin phlebotomia, from Greek phlebotomiā, from phlebotomos, opening a vein : phlebo-, phlebo- + -tomos, cutting; see -tome.] phleb'o·tom'ic (flěb'ə-tŏm'ĭk), phleb'o·tom'i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.

Main Entry: phle·bot·o·my
Pronunciation: fli-'bät-&-mE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -mies
: theletting of blood for transfusion, apheresis, diagnostic testing, or experimental procedures and especially formerly for the treatment of disease called also venesection, venotomy

phlebotomy phle·bot·o·my (flĭ-bŏt'ə-mē)
n.
The act or practice of opening a vein by incision or puncture to remove blood. Also called venesection, venotomy.

phlebotomy   (flĭ-bŏt'ə-mē)  Pronunciation Key  The act or practice of opening a vein by incision or puncture to remove blood.