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Glite Dictionary
ABO system

ABO system

3.4
A way to divide human blood into four groups called A, B, AB, and O
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪˌbiˈoʊ ˈsɪstəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sistema ABO
  • The ABO system divides human blood into four main groups based on antigens.

Examples

  • Incompatible matches in the ABO system can lead to dangerous transfusion reactions.

  • Doctors must always consider the ABO system when transfusing blood to patients.

  • The ABO system is crucial for blood transfusions.

  • Can you explain how the ABO system works?

  • Doctors must always consider the ABO system when transfusing blood to patients.

  • Incompatible matches in the ABO system can lead to dangerous transfusion reactions.

  • The ABO system divides human blood into four main groups based on antigens.

Synonyms

blood group
vsABO system
  • Specialized
2 3.2

A set of blood types people inherit from their parents that shows which blood they can receive

is narrower focusing only on A and B antigen four-way system
ABO blood group system
vsABO system
  • Specialized
3.4

A system dividing human blood into A, B, AB and O groups by A and B substances on red cells

is the same classification but labelled with a different formal name
ABO group
vsABO system
  • Specialized
3.7

A system that divides blood into A, B, AB, and O by A and B proteins on red blood cells

keeps identical four-type criterion while using an alternate short name

Surface Forms

ABO system singular
ABO systems plural

Morphology

ABO + system

While 'system' is a transparent, general noun, 'ABO' is a specialized acronym referring to blood-group antigens and is not a regular lexical item whose meaning a B1 learner can derive from its parts. Without prior domain knowledge of what 'ABO' denotes, the overall meaning 'a blood-group classification' cannot be inferred, so the expression is opaque to typical learners.

Etymology

ABO system gives a simple picture: imagine red blood cells wearing tiny 'name tags' marked A or B. If a cell has no tag it is O, and if it has both tags it is AB, so doctors use these tags to sort blood into the four groups A, B, AB, and O.