apheresis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical, Medical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “apheresis” mean?
The removal of blood from a donor or patient, the separation and retention of certain components (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The removal of blood from a donor or patient, the separation and retention of certain components (e.g., plasma, platelets, white blood cells), and the return of the remaining components to the individual.
1. (Medical/Technical) A therapeutic or donation procedure where specific blood components are selectively extracted. 2. (Linguistics) The omission of one or more sounds or syllables from the beginning of a word (e.g., 'phone' from 'telephone').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent. The medical procedure is more commonly referred to in full as 'therapeutic apheresis' or by the specific component name (e.g., plasmapheresis) in both regions.
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both varieties. The linguistic term is purely academic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Its use is almost exclusively confined to haematology, transfusion medicine, and linguistic journals/textbooks.
Grammar
How to Use “apheresis” in a Sentence
The patient underwent apheresis for [condition].Apheresis was performed to collect [blood component].In linguistics, apheresis results in [shortened word] from [original word].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “apheresis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The consultant decided to apherese the patient to manage the hyperviscosity.
- We will apherese the donor tomorrow.
American English
- The team apheresed the donor twice in one month.
- We need to apherese him to reduce the antibody load.
adverb
British English
- The blood was processed apheretically.
American English
- The component was collected apheretically.
adjective
British English
- The apheresis clinic is on the third floor.
- She is on an apheresis machine.
American English
- The apheresis product was shipped to the lab.
- He has an apheresis catheter in place.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and linguistic research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A patient might say 'they're taking my plasma' rather than 'I'm having apheresis'.
Technical
Standard term in haematology, immunology, transfusion medicine, and clinical phonology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “apheresis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “apheresis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “apheresis”
- Mispronouncing it as /əˈfɛrəsɪs/ (emphasis on second syllable).
- Using it as a synonym for any blood test or simple donation.
- Confusing the medical and linguistic meanings in the wrong context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally not painful, similar to a blood donation. You may feel a pinprick when the needle is inserted and possibly some tingling from the anticoagulant during the procedure.
Dialysis removes waste products and excess fluid from the blood, typically for kidney failure. Apheresis selectively removes specific cellular or plasma components, often for immune or blood disorders.
Yes, they are variant spellings of the same word, with 'apheresis' being the more common modern spelling, especially in medical contexts. 'Aphaeresis' is an older or more classical spelling.
Certainly. 'Telephone' becomes 'phone', 'aeroplane' becomes 'plane', and 'especial' becomes 'special' through the process of apheresis.
The removal of blood from a donor or patient, the separation and retention of certain components (e.
Apheresis is usually formal, technical, medical, academic in register.
Apheresis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæf.əˈriː.sɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæf.əˈriː.sɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term is strictly technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a nurse saying, 'A pair of these is (apheresis) not needed; we only take the plasma and return the rest.' This highlights the selective nature of the procedure.
Conceptual Metaphor
FILTERING/REFINING: The process is conceptually like a sophisticated filter that selectively removes specific valuable or harmful components from a fluid stream, returning the rest.
Practice
Quiz
In which field would the term 'apheresis' LEAST likely be used?