sickle cell anemia

noun

: a chronic inherited anemia that occurs primarily in individuals of African, Mediterranean, or southwest Asian ancestry who are homozygous for the gene controlling hemoglobin S and that is characterized especially by episodic blocking of small blood vessels by sickle cells

called also sickle cell disease

Examples of sickle cell anemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blood products also help to treat chronic conditions such as sickle cell anemia. —Benjamin Plackett, Discover Magazine, 9 Feb. 2023

His death, in a hospital, was caused by complications of sickle cell anemia, his brother Michael said. —Sam Roberts, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2022

Since childhood, the chart-topping singer/songwriter has battled sickle cell anemia, a crippling, incurable disease that attacks the autoimmune system due to flawed hemoglobin cells. —Jasmine Browley, Essence, 16 Nov. 2022

Scientists there have used the tool to treat dozens of people with sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia—two common blood disorders. —WIRED, 23 Sep. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sickle cell anemia

• hypercalcemia
• hyperglycaemia
• hyperglycemia
• hyperkalemia
• hypernatremia
• hypocalcemia
• hypoglycaemia
• hypoglycemia
• hypokalemia
• hyponatremia
• hypovolemia
• polycythemia

Kids Definition

sickle-cell anemia

noun

: a serious inherited disease in which small blood vessels become blocked with sickle cells and which occurs mostly in people of African, Mediterranean, or southwest Asian ancestry

Medical Definition

sickle cell anemia

noun

variants also sickle cell disease

: a chronic anemia that occurs in individuals (as those of African or Mediterranean descent) who are homozygous for the gene controlling hemoglobin S and that is characterized by destruction of red blood cells and by episodic blocking of blood vessels by the adherence of sickle cells to the vascular endothelium which causes the serious complications of the disease (as organ failure)