medicinal leech

6.9

A large freshwater worm that doctors used to take blood from patients

noun
/məˈdɪsɪnəl liːtʃ/

: sanguijuela medicinal

Scientists have recently studied the saliva of the medicinal leech to develop new anticoagulant drugs.

Examples

In 19th-century Europe, doctors often used medicinal leeches as a standard treatment for various ailments.
The medicinal leech was used in ancient medicine.
Before the advent of modern medicine, the medicinal leech was commonly applied to patients for bloodletting.
Many doctors have studied the medicinal leech for its therapeutic benefits.
The doctor explained that the medicinal leech was once widely used for bloodletting in ancient therapies.
Many hospitals now use the medicinal leech to improve blood circulation after reconstructive surgeries.
In some European countries, medicinal leeches are still employed in traditional medicine for various ailments.

Synonyms

Hirudo medicinalis

vsmedicinal leech

Specialized

9.9

A large European freshwater leech used in medicine in the past and sometimes today

is the everyday English name for the same animal rather than the formal name

Surface Forms

medicinal leech singular

medicinal leeches plural

Morphology

medicinal + leech

The meaning is directly compositional: 'medicinal' (having healing properties) modifies 'leech' (a bloodsucking worm), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer a leech used for medical purposes. This is a descriptive noun phrase following common noun + modifier patterns and is thus transparent, even if the specific species name is somewhat technical.

Etymology

Medicinal leech names the real animal leech that doctors once used to remove blood. Picture a dark worm sticking to the skin and sucking blood during old 'bloodletting' treatments — that's why the name means a leech used in 'medicine'.