Definition

A medical term referring to the passage of black, tarry stools, often indicating bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Example

The doctor noted that the patient had melaena, which could suggest a serious condition.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of melaena?

I think I've seen it mentioned in a medical article before.

Yeah, it's related to dark stools, right?

Exactly! It's important to know about these symptoms.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Melaena is derived from the Greek word "melainein" (meaning to blacken) and the suffix "-a" (used in medical terminology to denote a condition). The term refers to the condition of having black, tarry stools, indicating the presence of digested blood.

Memory Tip

Think of the Greek root 'melainein' which means to 'blacken' — this helps you remember that 'melaena' refers to the blackening of stools due to digested blood.

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