Definition of APHERESIS

apheresis

Meanings

Plural: aphereses

Noun

  • (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until'
  • a procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its components by dialysis; some are retained and the rest are returned to the donor by transfusion
  • Elision, suppression, or complete loss of a letter or sound (syllable) from the beginning of a word, such as the development of special from especial.
  • The removal of blood from a patient, and the removal of certain components (such as platelets) from that blood, followed by the transfusion of the filtered blood back to the donor (patient).
  • Extirpation or extraction of a superfluity (especially a pathological one) from the body, especially blood.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin aphaeresis, from Ancient Greek ἀφαίρεσις (aphaíresis, “a taking away”), from ἀφαιρέω (aphairéō) (from ἀφ- (aph-), variant of ἀπό (apó, “off, away from”) before an aspirated vowel) + αἱρέω (hairéō, “to take; to snatch”)) + -σις (-sis, suffix forming nouns of action); the grammatical sense developed in Latin.

Scrabble Score: 14

apheresis is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
apheresis is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
apheresis is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

apheresis is a valid Words With Friends word