Standard Lemma guide

phlebotomy

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /flɪˈbɒtəmi/
  • UK: /fləˈbɒtəmi/
  • Atlantic-Canada, General-American: /flɪˈbɑtəmi/
  • Atlantic-Canada, General-American: /fləˈbɑtəmi/
  • Australian: /flɪˈbɔtəmi/
  • Australian: /fləˈbɔtəmi/
  • rhymes with -ɒtəmi

1

noun

Meaning 1

The opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

surgical incision into a vein; used to treat hemochromatosis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: venesection

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: incision, section, surgical incision, bloodletting

History

Etymology

From Old French flebothomie (French phlébotomie), from Late Latin phlebotomia, from Ancient Greek φλεβοτόμος (phlebotómos, “that opens a vein”), from φλέψ (phléps, “vein”). By surface analysis, phlebo- + -tomy.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: кръвопускане (krǎvopuskane) — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Finnish: flebotomia — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • French: phlébotomie — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • German: Aderlass — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Greek: φλεβοτομία (flevotomía) — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Ancient Greek: φλεβοτομία (phlebotomía) — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Hungarian: érmetszés — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Hungarian: érvágás — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Ido: veinoseko — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Italian: flebotomia — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Latin: phlebotomia — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Polish: flebotomia — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Polish: krwioupust — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Portuguese: flebotomia — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Punjabi: ਪੱਛ (paccha) — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Spanish: flebotomía — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Tagalog: pagtatabad — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Turkish: flebotomi — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection
  • Ottoman Turkish: قان (kan) — the opening of a vein, either to withdraw blood or for letting blood; venesection