Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: hem- or hemo- or hemato-

Blood Clot
This is a colored scanning electron micrograph of blood clot formation during hemostasis (the first stage of wound healing in which blood clotting occurs). Credit: Science Photo Library - STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

The prefix (hem- or hemo- or hemato-) refers to blood. It is derived from the Greek (haimo-) and Latin (haemo-) for blood.

Words Beginning With: (hem- or hemo- or hemato-)

Hemangioma (hem-angi-oma): a tumor consisting primarily of newly formed blood vessels. It is a common benign tumor that appears as a birthmark on the skin. A hemangioma may also form on muscle, bone, or organs.

Hematic (hemat-ic): of or relating to blood or its properties.

Hematocyte (hemato-cyte): a cell of the blood or blood cell. Commonly used to refer to a red blood cell, this term can also be used to refer to white blood cells and platelets.

Hematocrit (hemato-crit): the process of separating blood cells from plasma in order to obtain the ratio of the volume of red blood cells per given volume of blood.

Hematoid (hemat-oid): - resembling or relating to blood.

Hematology (hemato-logy): field of medicine concerned with the study of blood including diseases of the blood and bone marrow. Blood cells are produced by blood-forming tissue in bone marrow.

Hematoma (hemat-oma): abnormal accumulation of blood in an organ or tissue as a result of a broken blood vessel. A hematoma can also be a cancer that occurs in the blood.

Hematopoiesis (hemato-poiesis):  the process of forming and generating blood components and blood cells of all types.

Hematuria (hemat-uria): the presence of blood in urine resulting from leakage in the kidneys or another part of the urinary tract. Hematuria may also indicate a urinary system disease, such as bladder cancer.

Hemoglobin (hemo-globin): iron-containing protein found in red blood cells. Hemoglobin binds oxygen molecules and transports oxygen to body cells and tissues through the bloodstream.

Hemolymph (hemo-lymph): fluid similar to blood that circulates in arthropods such as spiders and insects. Hemolymph may also refer to both blood and lymph of the human body.

Hemolysis (hemo-lysis): destruction of red blood cells as a result of cell rupture. Some pathogenic microbes, plant poisons, and snake venoms can cause red blood cells to rupture. Exposure to high concentrations of chemicals, such as arsenic and lead, can also cause hemolysis.

Hemophilia (hemo-philia): a sex-linked blood disorder characterized by excessive bleeding due to a defect in a blood clotting factor. A person with hemophilia has a tendency to bleed uncontrollably.

Hemoptysis (hemo-ptysis): the spewing or coughing up of blood from the lungs or airway.

Hemorrhage (hemo-rrhage): abnormal and excessive flow of blood.

Hemorrhoids (hemo-rrhoids): swollen blood vessels located in the anal canal.

Hemostasis (hemo-stasis): the first stage of wound healing in which the stoppage of blood flow from damaged blood vessels occurs.

Hemothorax (hemo-thorax): an accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity (space between the chest wall and lungs). A hemothroax may be caused by trauma to the chest, lung infections, or a blood clot in the lungs.

Hemotoxin (hemo-toxin): a toxin that destroys red blood cells by inducing hemolysis. Exotoxins produced by some bacteria are hemotoxins.

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Bailey, Regina. "Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: hem- or hemo- or hemato-." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, Bailey, Regina. (2020, August 25). Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: hem- or hemo- or hemato-. Retrieved from Bailey, Regina. "Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: hem- or hemo- or hemato-." ThoughtCo. (accessed July 28, 2021).