Anematosis

/ænɪməˈtoʊsɪs/ noun

Definition

In medicine, saturation or oxygenation of the blood by exposure to air in the lungs.

Etymology

From Greek 'anemos' (wind/air) + '-osis' (condition or process). A medical term from the 18th-19th centuries describing respiratory physiology.

Kelly Says

Before anyone understood oxygen molecules, doctors used 'anematosis' to describe what happens when air enters your lungs—it's a perfect example of naming something you can't see but can describe by function.

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