Definition

The percentage of red blood cells in a sample of blood after it has been separated from the liquid part by spinning it in a machine.

Example

The doctor ordered a hematocrit test to check the patient's red blood cell levels.

Conversation

I just learned about hematocrit in my biology class.

Oh really? What does it measure?

It measures the percentage of red blood cells in blood after centrifugation.

That sounds interesting! I didn't know blood tests could show that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hematocrit is formed from "haima" (meaning blood) and "kritēs" (meaning judge or separator). The term refers to the measurement that separates blood components, specifically the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells.

Memory Tip

Think of 'blood' ('haima') being 'separated' or 'judged' ('kritēs') to understand that hematocrit measures the volume of red blood cells in blood.

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