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Glite Dictionary
thalassemia major

thalassemia major

9.6
A severe inherited blood disease that causes very low red blood cells and needs regular transfusions
  • noun
  • /θæləˈsiːmiə ˈmeɪdʒər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : talasemia mayor
  • Children diagnosed with thalassemia major often experience severe anemia and require lifelong medical treatment.

Examples

  • Living with thalassemia major means frequent hospital visits for blood tests and monitoring of health.

  • Alpha thalassemia major occurs when there are no alpha genes at all in the individual's DNA; this causes the gamma globins produced by the fetus to form an abnormal hemoglobin.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Thalassemia major is a serious condition that requires regular blood transfusions to manage thalassemia major levels.

Synonyms

blood disorder
vsthalassemia major
5 3.5

A health problem that affects the blood, like anemia or leukemia

is a specific inherited and severe disease with characteristic organ enlargement
thalassemia
vsthalassemia major
  • Specialized
2 9.9

An inherited blood disease that causes low levels of red blood cells

is a much more severe, specific inherited form with major organ enlargement
Cooley's anemia
vsthalassemia major
  • Specialized
8.4

A severe inherited blood disease that causes almost no red blood cells and makes the heart, liver, and spleen grow

is the alternative medical term used for the same condition
hemoglobinopathy
vsthalassemia major
  • Specialized
9.9

A blood disorder where red blood cells have abnormal hemoglobin

is a specific inherited disease within that group with severe clinical features

How Severe

thalassemia major
  • Specialized
9.6
thalassemia
  • Specialized
2 9.9

Surface Forms

thalassemia major singular
thalassemias major plural

Morphology

thalassemia + major

The compound names a disease ('thalassemia') qualified by 'major' to indicate a more severe form; if a learner knows 'thalassemia' (reduced hemoglobin) and 'major' (severe/greater), they can infer it refers to the severe form of the condition. This adjective-noun compositional pattern is common in medical terminology and cross-linguistically (major/minor), so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Thalassemia major comes from old Greek and Latin words: thalassa means 'sea' and -emia means 'blood', while major means 'greater' or 'more severe'. So the name says this is a serious ('major') blood problem once common around the sea, and today it names the most severe form of the inherited blood disorder.