Hemophile

/ˈhɛmoʊfaɪl/ noun

Definition

An organism that thrives in or requires blood as its primary environment or food source.

Etymology

From Greek 'haima' (blood) + '-phile' (lover of). This describes organisms with an affinity for blood.

Kelly Says

Some bacteria are true hemophiles—Haemophilus influenzae literally needs blood factors to grow, which is why it was originally isolated from blood and named to reflect this blood-loving nature.

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