Header image of wall of bricks Open menu Close menu

-penia

Deficiency in a component of the blood.

Greek penia, poverty.

Examples include thrombocytopenia, a deficiency of thrombocytes or platelets; leucopenia (also leukopenia) (Greek leukos, white), similarly of white cells; lymphopenia, of lymphocytes; pancytopenia (Greek pan, all, plus kutos, vessel), a deficiency of all three cellular components of the blood: red cells, white cells, and platelets.

Copyright © Michael Quinion 2008–. All rights reserved. Your comments are very welcome.