apheresis
2 synonyms for apheresis, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — In linguistics, apheresis is the loss of a sound or syllable from the beginning of a word.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun linguistics
In linguistics, apheresis is the loss of a sound or syllable from the beginning of a word.
“The word special developed by apheresis from especial.”
2. noun medicine
In medicine, apheresis is a procedure in which blood is taken from a patient, a component such as platelets is separated out, and the rest of the blood is returned to them.
“The donor underwent apheresis so that only platelets were collected.”
How to use apheresis
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
The linguistic sense is used in academic writing, while the medical sense is used in clinical settings.
Etymology
The word comes from Latin apheresis, itself from Ancient Greek aphairesis, meaning a taking away. It derives from a Greek verb meaning to take or snatch away, with the grammatical sense developing later in Latin.
Full origin of apheresis →