Word
anemia
Phoneticsane·mia
/əˈnimiə/
UK spelling · anaemia
Definitions
01medical condition
n. a condition where your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to your body.
n. a medical condition in which the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen is reduced due to a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin.
“The doctor suggested eating more spinach to help treat her anemia.”
“Severe anemia can lead to chronic fatigue and shortness of breath, as the heart works harder to pump oxygen-depleted blood through the body.”
Technical · American English
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the condition in general; countable when referring to specific types (e.g., 'a sickle-cell anemia').
Pitfall
He has an anemia.
He has anemia.
When referring to the general medical condition, anemia is usually uncountable and does not take an article.
Teaching tip
Note the spelling difference: 'anemia' is American English, while 'anaemia' is British English.
Synonyms
02lack of energy or power
n. a lack of energy, spirit, or strength in something like a performance or a piece of writing.
n. a figurative lack of vitality, power, or substance in a creative or intellectual work.
“The critic complained about the anemia of the new play's dialogue.”
“The film suffered from a certain narrative anemia, failing to engage the audience despite its impressive visual effects.”
Literary
Usage
Used metaphorically to describe things that lack 'life' or 'blood'.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The 89-year-old, who is one of Europe's longest-serving monarchs, has been treated in recent weeks with cortisone for rare blood condition haemolytic anaemia.” “King Harald has been treated in recent weeks with cortisone for a rare blood condition, haemolytic anaemia.” Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/anemia