haemoglobin

British

/ ˌhiːməʊˈɡləʊbɪn, ˌhɛm- /

noun

a conjugated protein, consisting of haem and the protein globin, that gives red blood cells their characteristic colour. It combines reversibly with oxygen and is thus very important in the transportation of oxygen to tissues See also oxyhaemoglobin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of haemoglobin

C19: shortened from haematoglobulin, from _haematin + _globulin the two components

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

haemoglobin

When haemoglobin is low, the blood cannot carry as much oxygen - a condition known as anaemia.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

Vian, 16, was born with thalassemia, a condition that affects haemoglobin - used by red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Medical staff took blood tests and he was admitted for a blood transfusion to address low haemoglobin levels, as well as investigations into his heart murmur.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

If there is more haemoglobin in the blood, more oxygen can be carried to the muscles, giving an athlete more resistance to lactic acid burn - helping them go faster for longer.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2025

Like haemoglobin, it acts as an oxygen-carrier in respiration, but it takes no part in surface coloration.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023