What does transfusion mean?
A transfusion is most commonly the medical transfer of blood or a blood component into a recipient’s circulation. It may refer to the procedure itself, as when a patient receives a transfusion after surgery, serious injury, or illness. Blood transfusions are used to replace lost or inadequate blood, while component transfusions can provide specific elements such as platelets or plasma. The word also has a broader figurative use for the movement of money, resources, energy, or other things from one person or organization to another. In this sense, a transfusion suggests a substantial and often urgently needed transfer. Although transfusion is also a verb, its everyday use is primarily as a noun. The term is standard in both British and American English and is associated with formal medicine, safety procedures, and significant bodily or logistical movement.
The transfer of blood or a blood component from a donor or stored source into a recipient’s circulation; more broadly, the transfer of something such as money or resources.
"She underwent a blood transfusion before the transplant operation."
The medical sense is dominant in contemporary usage; figurative senses are formal and comparatively uncommon.
To transfer blood or another liquid into a recipient’s body, or figuratively to transfer money, resources, or other assets.
"The hospital transfused two units of packed red blood cells."
As a verb, transfusion is more common in medical and formal contexts than in everyday speech.
The plural is transfusions, as in “several blood transfusions.”
"The patient received two transfusions during the night."
From pouring blood to pouring capital: transfusion began as a medical term and became a metaphor for moving resources from one place to another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does transfusion come from?
The English word derives from Latin transfusionem, a noun formed from transfundere, meaning “to pour across” and consisting of trans- (“across”) plus fundere (“to pour”). The word entered English in the late medieval period and became especially associated with the transfer of blood. Other English words built on the same Latin pouring root include transfuse, confuse, profuse, and diffuse, although their meanings have diverged substantially.
How transfusion is actually used
In medical contexts, transfusion is formal and precise. Its broader metaphorical uses are less common and often carry the implication of transferring resources to where they are needed.
Easily confused with transfusion
An infusion introduces a liquid such as saline or medication into the body, whereas a transfusion specifically transfers blood or blood components into the circulation.