thalassemia

Meaning

Noun

• Any of a group of inherited disorders in which the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is reduced.

Origin

• From Ancient Greek θάλασσα (see also thalass-) and -emia (from αἷμα). The etymology is suggestive of the epidemiology of the disorder, which is more common in people of Mediterranean descent. First used in 1932.