blood
bluhd
Blood (noun) means the red fluid pumped by the heart that carries oxygen and nutrients around the body. Example: “The nurse drew a small sample of blood for testing.”
noun
1
The red fluid pumped by the heart that carries oxygen and nutrients around the body.
"The nurse drew a small sample of blood for testing."
"He lost a lot of blood from the wound."
"Your heart pumps blood to every part of your body."
2
Family relationship or ancestry; a person's lineage.
"They are related by blood, not just marriage."
"She has royal blood on her mother's side, though nobody talks about it."
"He was proud of his Irish blood and visited the village every summer."
verb
1
To initiate someone into combat or a violent activity for the first time.
"The young soldier was blooded in his first firefight."
How to use blood
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe liquid that circulates in the body, or figuratively, family ancestry.
Common pairings
blood relative
shed blood
blood type
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like blood.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- bloods
- Past tense
- blooded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The nurse drew a small sample of _____ for testing.
Etymology
From Old English blod, going back to a Proto-Germanic root possibly meaning "that which bursts out" — related to the idea of swelling or gushing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for blood
See all rhymes for blood →Frequently asked questions
What does “blood” mean?
The word “blood” means the red fluid pumped by the heart that carries oxygen and nutrients around the body. In plain terms, the liquid that circulates in the body, or figuratively, family ancestry.
How do you pronounce “blood”?
“Blood” is pronounced bluhd (/blʌd/ in IPA).
How do you use “blood” in a sentence?
Here is “blood” used in a sentence: “The nurse drew a small sample of blood for testing.”
What part of speech is “blood”?
Depending on how it is used, “blood” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “blood” come from?
The word “blood” comes from Old English. From Old English blod, going back to a Proto-Germanic root possibly meaning "that which bursts out" — related to the idea of swelling or gushing.
Is “blood” a common word?
“Blood” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “blood” have?
“Blood” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the red fluid pumped by the heart that carries oxygen and nutrients around the body.
What does blood do in the body?
Blood is the body's transport system. It carries oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from digestion to every cell, then removes carbon dioxide and waste. It also distributes hormones, spreads heat to help regulate temperature, and delivers the white cells and clotting factors that fight infection and seal wounds.
What are the main components of blood?
Blood has four main parts. Red cells carry oxygen and give blood its colour; white cells defend against infection; platelets help it clot; and plasma, the pale liquid, carries all of these along with nutrients, hormones, and waste. Together they make up the fluid pumped around your body.
What are the different blood types?
Human blood is grouped mainly by the ABO system into types A, B, AB, and O, each either positive or negative depending on the Rhesus factor. These groups matter for transfusions, because mixing incompatible types can be dangerous. Type O negative is often called the universal donor.
Why is blood red?
Blood owes its colour to haemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red cells that binds oxygen. When richly oxygenated, as in the arteries, it is bright red; after delivering its oxygen it turns a darker, brownish red. Blood is never truly blue, despite the tint of veins seen through the skin.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include blood:
