phlebotomy

[ fluh-bot-uh-mee ]

noun

, Medicine/Medical.

, plural phle·bot·o·mies.

1. the act or practice of opening a vein for letting or drawing blood as a therapeutic or diagnostic measure; venesection; bleeding.

phlebotomy

/ flɪˈbɒtəmɪ; ˌflɛbəˈtɒmɪk /

noun

1. surgical incision into a vein Also calledvenesection

phlebotomy

/ flĭ-bŏt′ə-mē /

1. The act or practice of opening a vein by incision or puncture to remove blood.

Derived Forms

• phlebotomic, adjective
• phleˈbotomist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of phlebotomy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; earlier flebotomye, phlebothomy, from Middle French flebotomie, from Medieval Latin phlebotomia, Late Latin, from Greek phlebotomía; equivalent to phlebo- + -tomy; replacing Middle English fleobotomie, from Medieval Latin fleobotomia, variant of phlebotomia

Word History and Origins

Origin of phlebotomy¹

C14: from Old French flebothomie, from Late Latin phlebotomia, from Greek

Example Sentences

Recently, The Christie - one of the largest cancer treatment centres of its type in Europe - has positioned phlebotomy units around the region in what's known as "bloods closer to home."

From BBC

For example, Michigan’s public website says that fewer than three students were enrolled in MedCerts’s phlebotomy technician program for the most recent one-year time period available.

From Washington Post

Mr. Amirzad, a nurse at a U.S. military hospital in Kabul, is taking a phlebotomy course, the first step toward achieving his goal of returning to his profession.

From New York Times

Witnesses often spent hours on the tedious minutiae of finance, chemistry, technology and phlebotomy.

From New York Times

“Our income is very limited,” said Woodruff, 26, adding that she is studying phlebotomy and her husband is an arborist.

From Seattle Times