Definition of dialysis
1
: the separation of substances in solution by means of their unequal diffusion through semipermeable membranes
especially
: such a separation of colloids from soluble substances
2
: the process of removing blood from an artery (as of a patient affected with kidney failure), purifying it by dialysis, adding vital substances, and returning it to a vein
— called also hemodialysis
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for dialysis
The first known use of dialysis was in 1861
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