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

Having returned to the USA, Vonn explained she had a six-hour reconstructive operation on Wednesday, but also needed a blood transfusion as she had "low haemoglobin due to all the blood loss and surgeries".

From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2026

They say it does that by increasing the number of red blood cells that contain haemoglobin, which transports oxygen around the body, but this remains a disputed subject and many say further studies are required.

From BBC ● May 21, 2025

It is a curious and noteworthy fact that in some invertebrate animals in which no haemoglobin occurs, we meet with its derivatives.

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

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