anemia

noun

ane·​mia ə-ˈnē-mē-ə 

1

a

: a condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin, or in total volume

b

: ischemia

2

: lack of vitality

Examples of anemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The owl is suffering from severe anemia and poor clotting, and was in the fifth day of his treatment on Tuesday at the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center. —Noel Brennan, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026

Younger individuals with colorectal cancer may not seek medical attention for symptoms such as bleeding in stools, difficult bowel movements, bloating or signs of anemia, all of which can sometimes be confused with other health issues. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026

Not consuming enough iron, losing too much iron, or not being able to effectively absorb iron from food and supplements can lead to low iron stores and, eventually, iron deficiency anemia. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 21 Jan. 2026

Both can help prevent iron deficiency anemia. —Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing anemia

• anti-anemia
• aplastic anemia
• Cooley's anemia
• hemolytic anemia
• pernicious anemia
• sickle cell anemia

Rhymes for anemia

• premia
• academia
• acidemia
• azotemia
• bacteremia
• hyperaemia
• hyperemia
• hypoxemia
• septicaemia
• septicemia
• thalassaemia
• thalassemia

Kids Definition

anemia

noun

ane·​mia ə-ˈnē-mē-ə 

: 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

ə-ˈnē-mē-ə 

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

: ischemia

anemic adjective

or chiefly British anaemic

ə-ˈnē-mik 

anemically adverb

or chiefly British anaemically

-mi-k(ə-)lē