-emia

The combining form –emia is used like a suffix to denote an abnormal blood condition, especially the presence of a certain kind of substance in the blood that causes disease. It is used in many medical terms, especially in pathology.

The form -emia ultimately comes from the Greek haîma, meaning “blood.” Haîma is the same Greek root that gives us the combining form hemo- meaning “blood,” as in hemoblast.

Variants of hemo- (and closely related to -emia) are haem-, haema-, haemo-, haemat-, haemato-, hem-, hema-, hemat-, and hemato-. Learn more about their specific applications at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

What are variants of -emia?

The spelling –aemia is a chiefly British English variant of -emia.

When combined with words or word elements ending with -p, -t, or -k, -emia becomes -hemia, as in thrombocythemia, or, in British English, -haemia (thrombocythaemia).

In pathology, anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to tissue in the body. This condition can result in feeling weak and having a pale color. Figuratively, anemia refers to a lack of vitality or oomph, often appearing in its adjective form, anemic.

The first part of the word, an-, means “not,” “without,” or “lacking.” The -emia part of the word, as we’ve seen, concerns blood. Anemia literally translates to “lacking blood.”

The word anemia comes from the Greek anaimía, which uses the equivalent forms of an- and -emia in the language.

What are some words that use the combining form -emia?

• cholemia
• cholesterolemia
• copremia
• erythremia
• fibremia
• fructosemia
• galactosemia
• glycemia
• hydremia
• hyperemia
• hyperglycemia
• hypoglycemia
• ischemia
• inosemia
• leukemia (from German Leukämie)
• levulosemia
• ketonemia
• oligemia
• pyemia (using the equivalent form of -emia in New Latin)
• sapremia
• uremia
• viremia

What are some other forms that -emia may be commonly confused with?

• -ensis
• -esis
• -eum

Many other words end in the letters -emia, such as academia and Bohemia, but are not using it as a combining form to denote a blood condition. Study up on their wandering ways at our entries for the words.

Treating diabetes can result in hypoglycemia, the abnormally low level of glucose in the blood. Hypo- means “under, below normal.” Glyc- refers to “sugar” and “glucose.” What does hypoglycemia literally translate to?