Definition

A medical condition where the blood has fewer red blood cells or less hemoglobin than normal, which can lead to fatigue and weakness.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with anemia after she reported feeling unusually tired.

Conversation

I heard you’ve been feeling tired lately, is everything okay?

Yeah, I went to the doctor and they said I might have anemia.

Oh no, that sounds serious! What does that mean for you?

It just means I need to eat more iron-rich foods and take some supplements.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Anemia → It is formed from "an-" (meaning without) and "haima" (meaning blood) in Greek. The word describes a condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, leading to a lack of oxygen in the body.

Memory Tip

Think of being 'without' ('an-') 'blood' ('haima') — that’s why anemia refers to a condition of having insufficient blood.

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