hemangioma: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “hemangioma” mean?
A benign (non-cancerous) tumour or mass consisting of a dense cluster of blood vessels.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A benign (non-cancerous) tumour or mass consisting of a dense cluster of blood vessels.
A common type of birthmark that appears as a bright red, rubbery bump on the skin, caused by an abnormal buildup of blood vessels. While typically harmless and often resolving on their own, they can sometimes cause complications depending on their size and location (e.g., near the eye or airway).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The primary difference is the spelling. The British English spelling is 'haemangioma' (with 'ae'), while American English uses 'hemangioma' (with 'e').
Connotations
Identical in medical connotations.
Frequency
Equally frequent within their respective medical communities.
Grammar
How to Use “hemangioma” in a Sentence
The paediatrician observed a hemangioma on the infant's scalp.Surgery was considered for the hemangioma causing visual obstruction.Hemangiomas of the liver are often incidental findings on ultrasound.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hemangioma” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The haemangioma diagnosis was confirmed.
- She has a haemangioma-related complication.
American English
- The hemangioma diagnosis was confirmed.
- She has a hemangioma-related complication.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Common in medical literature, paediatric studies, and dermatology research.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation unless discussing a specific medical diagnosis.
Technical
The standard term in clinical notes, medical diagnoses, and specialist communication between healthcare providers.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hemangioma”
- Misspelling (e.g., heamangioma, hemmangioma).
- Pronouncing it as /ˌhem.ænˈɡiː.ə.mə/ (wrong stress).
- Using it interchangeably with 'port-wine stain' (which is a capillary malformation, not a proliferative hemangioma).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, hemangiomas are benign (non-cancerous) tumours of blood vessels.
Many infantile hemangiomas do involute spontaneously over childhood, but some may require treatment if they interfere with function or cause ulcers.
A hemangioma is a proliferative, growing tumour that often appears after birth and can involute. A port-wine stain is a capillary malformation present at birth that grows proportionally with the child and does not fade.
In British English, it is typically spelled 'haemangioma'.
A benign (non-cancerous) tumour or mass consisting of a dense cluster of blood vessels.
Hemangioma is usually technical/medical in register.
Hemangioma: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhiː.mæn.dʒiˈəʊ.mə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhiː.mæn.dʒiˈoʊ.mə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of HEMA- (relating to blood, as in 'hemoglobin') + ANGIO- (relating to vessels) + -OMA (a tumour or mass). So, a 'blood-vessel-tumour'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A tangled nest of blood vessels; a benign overgrowth of the body's plumbing.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'strawberry mark' a common term for?