anemic
|a-ne-mic|
C1
/əˈniːmɪk/
lacking blood or vitality
Etymology
Etymology Information
'anemic' originates from French, specifically the word 'anémique,' which comes from Greek 'anaimia,' where 'an-' meant 'without' and 'haima' meant 'blood.'
Historical Evolution
'anémique' was adopted into English as 'anemic' in the 19th century, and eventually became the modern English word 'anemic.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'lacking blood,' but over time it evolved to also mean 'lacking vitality or strength.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or suffering from anemia, a condition in which there is a deficiency of red cells or hemoglobin in the blood.
She felt weak and tired because she was anemic.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/05 00:21