What does hematology mean?
Hematology is the branch of medicine that studies blood, blood cells, and blood-forming tissues such as bone marrow. Physicians trained in this field, called hematologists, diagnose and treat conditions including anemia, leukemia, clotting disorders, and hemophilia. The discipline combines laboratory science with clinical medicine: blood samples may be examined microscopically, analyzed for cell counts or genetic abnormalities, and used to guide treatment. Hematology also overlaps with oncology because many blood cancers are treated by hematologists and oncologists. In everyday conversation, the word usually refers to a medical specialty or a hospital department rather than to blood itself. The term is used in both British and American English, with “haematology” serving as the traditional British spelling and “hematology” prevailing in American usage and contemporary international medical writing.
nounHematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of blood and blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow. It includes the study of blood cells, clotting, and disorders such as anemia, leukemia, and hemophilia.
- The branch of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of blood and blood-forming tissues.
"The hematology department is researching a new treatment for a rare blood disorder."
"She specializes in hematology and studies the causes of leukemia."
"The report was sent to the hematology ward for further analysis."
This plural is rare; hematology is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"The university has developed courses in several hematologies, including clinical and laboratory hematology."
Hematology is where medicine meets the microscope: it examines the cells, proteins, and clotting machinery that keep blood working.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hematology come from?
Hematology was formed in the 19th century from the Greek roots haima, meaning “blood,” and -logia, meaning “study of” or “science of.” The compound follows the established English pattern in which -logy denotes a branch of knowledge. Its related medical terms, including hematoma, hemoglobin, hematopoiesis, and hemocyte, likewise draw on the same Greek root for blood.
How hematology is actually used
Hematology is a formal medical term. The spelling “haematology” is the traditional British form, while “hematology” is standard in American English and is also widely used in British medical contexts.
Easily confused with hematology
Hematology is the medical study of blood, whereas a hematoma is a localized collection of pooled blood, often beneath the skin or inside an organ.