sickle-cell anaemia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical/medical/academic
Quick answer
What does “sickle-cell anaemia” mean?
A hereditary form of anaemia in which the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, causing obstruction in capillaries and leading to pain, infection, and organ damage.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hereditary form of anaemia in which the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, causing obstruction in capillaries and leading to pain, infection, and organ damage.
A genetic blood disorder that can serve as a model for understanding genetics, adaptation, and evolutionary biology, with implications for discussions about health equity and genetic screening.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British spelling is 'anaemia'; American spelling is 'anemia'. No difference in meaning or usage otherwise.
Connotations
Identical technical/medical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Identical frequency in relevant medical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sickle-cell anaemia” in a Sentence
patient diagnosed with sickle-cell anaemiasickle-cell anaemia affects the haemoglobintreatment for sickle-cell anaemiaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sickle-cell anaemia” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sickle-cell anaemia patient required urgent care.
- Sickle-cell anaemia research has advanced significantly.
American English
- The sickle-cell anemia crisis was managed with opioids.
- Sickle-cell anemia screening is recommended for newborns.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in discussions of workplace health policies or insurance.
Academic
Common in biology, medicine, genetics, and public health texts.
Everyday
Used in personal health contexts or general news about health disparities.
Technical
The primary context, used with precise medical terminology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sickle-cell anaemia”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sickle-cell anaemia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sickle-cell anaemia”
- Misspelling 'anaemia/anemia'. Using 'sickle-cell' without 'anaemia/disease' when the context is unclear. Confusing the disease with just carrying the trait.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A bone marrow transplant can be curative for some, but it is not widely available due to risks and donor matching. Most treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications.
It is an autosomal recessive disorder. A child must inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to have the disease.
Sickle-cell anaemia is the disease state with two mutated genes. The sickle-cell trait means carrying only one mutated gene; these individuals are usually healthy carriers but can pass the gene to offspring.
The sickle-cell trait provides a survival advantage against malaria. Through natural selection, the gene became more frequent in populations historically exposed to malaria.
A hereditary form of anaemia in which the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, causing obstruction in capillaries and leading to pain, infection, and organ damage.
Sickle-cell anaemia is usually technical/medical/academic in register.
Sickle-cell anaemia: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪkəl sel əˈniːmiə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪkəl sel əˈnimiə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Carry the sickle-cell trait”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a farmer's sickle (a curved blade) cutting the normally round blood cells into a C-shape.
Conceptual Metaphor
INHERITANCE AS A CURSE/BLESSING (in evolutionary terms, the trait can confer malaria resistance).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary cause of sickle-cell anaemia?