What’s anemic mean Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ænɪmɪk ˈmiːn/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A deficiency in the number of red blood cells or their hemoglobin, leading to a condition where the blood is unable to carry sufficient oxygen to the body’s tissues.

Examples

• The doctor diagnosed her with anemia due to her blood test results.
• She was experiencing fatigue and weakness due to her anemia.

Synonyms

• Haemoglobin deficiency
• Polycythaemia

Antonyms

• Polycythaemia
• Ferropenia

Etymology

The word “anemia” comes from the Greek word αἱμαία (haima), meaning “blood”, and the suffix -nia, indicating a condition or disease.

Usage Notes

In medical contexts, “anemia” is often used as a diagnosis or a condition. In informal contexts, it can refer to anything that is lacking or deficient.

Cultural References

In the TV show “House”, the main character Dr. Gregory House has a rare condition called anemia.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

i.e., “anemic and tired” to describe someone who is weak and exhausted.

Related Words or Phrases

Blood disorder, Iron deficiency, Haemoglobin

Collocations

anemic patient, anemic condition, anemic blood

Frequency of Use

According to the Oxford English Corpus, the word “anemia” is used in approximately 1 in 150 words in medical texts.

Common Misspellings

anemiac, anemicly