apheresis
/əˈfɛrəsɪs/
noun
- The loss of one or more sounds or syllables from the beginning of a word, especially in the historical development of a language or in casual speech.
- Linguists study apheresis to understand how words change over time.
- The word 'round' comes from 'around' through apheresis of the initial vowel.
- In casual English, apheresis turns 'because' into 'cause'.
- A medical procedure in which blood is taken from a person, a specific component (such as plasma or platelets) is removed, and the rest is returned to the body.
- The patient underwent apheresis to remove excess antibodies from her blood.
- Doctors used apheresis to treat the rare autoimmune disorder.
- Donating platelets through apheresis takes longer than a regular blood donation.