Definition

A genetic blood disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, leading to anemia and often found in people from Mediterranean, African, or Southeast Asian backgrounds.

Example

Thalassemia can cause severe fatigue and weakness due to low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.

Conversation

Did you hear about Sam's diagnosis?

No, what happened?

He was just diagnosed with thalassemia, which is pretty rare.

Wow, I hope he gets the treatment he needs.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Thalassemia is derived from the Greek "thalassa" (meaning sea) and "haima" (meaning blood). The term originally referred to the condition's prevalence in Mediterranean populations, where "thalassa" signifies the sea, indicating the geographic association of the disease with these regions.

Memory Tip

Imagine the word 'thalassemia' connects to the 'sea' ('thalassa') and 'blood' ('haima'), helping you remember that this condition relates to blood disorders often found in people from coastal areas.

Visually Confused Words