bloodletting

English

Wikipedia

Noun

bloodletting (plural bloodlettings)

1. The archaic practice of treating illness by removing some blood, believed to be tainted, from the stricken person.
2. By extension, the diminishment of any resource with the hope that this will lead to a positive effect.
3. A circumstance such as a battle where a large amount of blood is likely to be spilled through violence.

Related terms

• bloodlet

Translations

ancient medical practice

• Dutch: aderlating (nl) c
• French: saignée (fr) f
• Greek: αφαίμαξη (el) (afaímaxi) f

• Italian: salasso (it) m
• Portuguese: sangria (pt) f
• Russian: кровопуска́ние (ru) (krovopuskánije) n

• Greek: αιματοχυσία (el) (aimatochysía) f (3)