What does the prefix hemo- mean?
Hemo- (also hema- and hemato-) comes from the Greek haima, which means "blood". It appears in specialized medical vocabulary, always related to blood.
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Prefix · blood · hematologic
hemo-
Means "blood": hemoglobin, hematology, hemorrhage, hemophilia, hematoma.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Blood in medicine
Hemo- is fundamental in medicine because blood is key to the whole body: it carries oxygen, fights infections and helps wounds close. A blood specialist is the one who treats conditions like anemia or leukemia. If you see hemo- in a medical word, think of blood first and you will almost always understand what it is about.
How it is used
Combines with Greek roots in haematological medical vocabulary:
- hemo- / hemat- + medicineglobin → hemoglobinology → hematologyorrhage → hemorrhageophilia → hemophiliaoma → hematoma
- hemo- + process/techniquestasis → hemostasisdialysis → hemodialysislysis → hemolysisphobia → hemophobia
Pronunciation: /ˈhiː.moʊ/. American spelling: "hemo-"; British spelling: "haemo-" (haemoglobin, haemorrhage).
How it is pronounced
hemo-/ˈhiː.moʊ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With hemo-
In a phrase
- globinhemoglobinHemoglobin in red blood cells picks up oxygen in the lungs and delivers it to tissues.
- atologyhematologyShe specialised in hematology and spent her career treating leukaemia patients.
- orrhagehemorrhageThe surgeon worked quickly to stop the internal hemorrhage before it became fatal.
- atomahematomaA large hematoma formed on his thigh after the fall, turning deep purple overnight.
- ophiliahemophiliaPeople with hemophilia must avoid injuries since even minor cuts can cause prolonged bleeding.
- ostasishemostasisHemostasis is the body's natural process of stopping blood flow after an injury.
- odialysishemodialysisWithout a transplant, he needed hemodialysis three times a week to filter his blood.
Common mistakes
confusing "hematoma" with "hemorrhage"
"hematoma" = a localised collection of clotted blood under the skin (a severe bruise); "hemorrhage" = active, often severe bleeding that can be life-threatening
"Hematoma" (hemat- = blood + -oma = mass): blood that has pooled and clotted outside blood vessels, forming a lump or discolouration. "Hemorrhage" (hemo- + Greek "rhegnynai" = to burst): active bleeding, which can be internal (invisible) or external. A hematoma is stagnant blood; a hemorrhage is blood actively flowing where it should not.
A trick to remember it
Think of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood: hemo- = blood. hemoglobin, hemorrhage.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the difference between a "hematoma" and a "hemorrhage"?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix hemo- mean in English?
The prefix hemo- means "blood": hemoglobin, hematology, hemorrhage, hemophilia, hematoma.
How do you pronounce hemo-?
The prefix hemo- is pronounced /ˈhiː.moʊ/. For example, "hemoglobin".
Can you give an example of a word with hemo-?
"globin" becomes "hemoglobin". It is a typical example of the hemo- prefix.
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