# thalassemia

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #72,825

## Definitions
1. Any of a group of inherited disorders in which the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is reduced.

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek θάλασσα (thálassa, “sea”) (see also thalass-) and -emia (“blood”) (from αἷμα (haîma)). The etymology is suggestive of the epidemiology of the disorder, which is more common in people of Mediterranean descent. First used in 1932.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/thalassemia