anemia

noun

ane·​mia ə-ˈnē-mē-ə How to pronounce anemia (audio)
Synonyms of anemianext
1
a
: a condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin, or in total volume
b
2
: lack of vitality

Examples of anemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Other symptoms include fatigue as a result of anemia, a change in bowel movements, stomach pain or abdominal discomfort, rectal bleeding or blood in stool, weakness and unexplained weight loss, Friedman, who did not treat Van Der Beek, told Fox News Digital. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026 High-impact sports can also destroy red blood cells, leading to iron deficiency anemia, while some athletes might also lose blood through their gastrointestinal tract, Hew-Butler says. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026 This can help prevent fatigue and iron-deficiency anemia. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026 Some of the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness and paleness. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anemia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek anaimia bloodlessness, from a- + -aimia -emia

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of anemia was in 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anemia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anemia. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

anemia

noun
ane·​mia ə-ˈnē-mē-ə How to pronounce anemia (audio)
: a condition in which the blood has less than the normal amount of red blood cells, hemoglobin, or total volume and which is usually marked by weakness, exhaustion, pale skin, shortness of breath, and abnormal heartbeat
anemic
-mik
adjective

Medical Definition

anemia

noun
ane·​mia
variants or chiefly British anaemia
1
: a condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin, or in total volume see aplastic anemia, hyperchromic anemia, hypochromic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, microcytic anemia, pernicious anemia, sickle cell anemia compare oligocythemia
2
anemic adjective
or chiefly British anaemic
anemically adverb
or chiefly British anaemically

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