Hematopoiesis
/ˌhiː.mə.təˈpɔɪ.ə.sɪs/noun
The process by which blood cells are produced in the body.
Did you know?The word was built from Greek roots for “blood” and “making,” and it names one of the most primal biological acts: the continuous creation of blood inside the body.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kʷey-
“to make, build, produce”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ποιέω (poiéō)
“I make, create, do”
Ancient Greek
Greek
αἷμα (haîma)
“blood”
Modern Scientific Greek
Greek
ἁματοποίησις / αἱματοποίησις (haimatopoíēsis)
“blood formation, blood production”
Late 19th Century
English
hematopoiesis
“the formation of blood cells”