Chloroanaemia

/klɔːroʊəˈniːmiə/ noun

Definition

A form of anemia (British spelling) characterized by decreased red blood cells or hemoglobin, historically attributed to chlorine exposure or related to chlorosis.

Etymology

From chloro- (green, chlorine) + anaemia (British spelling of anemia, from Greek an- 'without' + haima 'blood'), an older medical term.

Kelly Says

Chloroanaemia represents a medical mystery—'chlorosis' was a common diagnosis in Victorian young women, supposedly caused by chlorine or green conditions, but it was actually often iron deficiency or psychological stress misdiagnosed by the medicine of the time.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.