Asplenia
/æsˈpliːniə/noun
The absence of a spleen, whether congenital or due to surgical removal.
Did you know?The core Greek root behind this word, splēn, also gave English the old belief that the spleen governs black bile and melancholy, so even anatomy once carried a shadowy emotional aura.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
a- + splēn
“"without spleen"”
Late Latin
Latin
asplenia
“medical term formed from Greek elements for absence of the spleen”
Modern Medical Latin
Latin
asplenia
“condition of lacking a spleen”
Modern English
English
asplenia
“absence of the spleen”
Explore more surprising origins