universal donor
1
3.8
- noun
- /ˌjunɪˈvɜrsəl ˈdoʊnər/
- Specialized
:
donante universal
- Due to their blood type, people with O-negative blood are known as universal donors and can help many patients in need.
- O is the universal donor
Oh, are you a universal donor, is what you're saying?
- Oh, are you a universal donor, is what you're saying?
Examples
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Individuals with type O Rh-negative blood are often referred to as universal donors because their blood can be given to anyone.
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Then O, the universal donor type.
Fiction book (1998) -
Oh, are you a universal donor, is what you're saying?
-
O-negative blood is rare; people with this type of blood are considered universal donors.
Blog text (15) -
I'm O negative, universal donor, if that's what you're looking for.
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He's a universal donor.
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In emergency situations, a universal donor can provide blood to anyone, regardless of their blood type.
Synonyms
47
3.7
A blood type with no A or B markers that can be given to most people
35
4.9
A blood type with no A or B on the red cells that can be given to many people
7
3.9
A blood group whose red cells have no A or B markers, so they can donate to anyone
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derivable from 'universal' (suitable for all types) + 'donor' (a giver): together they denote a giver whose donation is acceptable for all recipients. This compositional logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the general blood‑donation meaning.
Etymology
Universal donor comes from the image of a donor whose blood is truly universal: a person with type O negative blood can be given to people of any blood type. That's why universal donor means 'a person whose blood can be given to anyone'.