hemorrhage

American  

[hem-er-ij, hem-rij] / ˈhɛm ər ɪdʒ, ˈhɛm rɪdʒ /

noun

1. a profuse discharge of blood, as from a ruptured blood vessel; bleeding.

2. the loss of assets, especially in large amounts.

3. any widespread or uncontrolled loss or diffusion.

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verb (used without object)

hemorrhaged, hemorrhaging

1. to bleed profusely.

2. to lose assets, especially in large amounts.

verb (used with object)

hemorrhaged, hemorrhaging

1. to lose (assets).

   a company that was hemorrhaging money.

hemorrhage Scientific  

/ hĕm′ər-ĭj /

1. Excessive or uncontrollable bleeding, often caused by trauma, surgical or obstetrical complications, or the advanced stages of certain illnesses, such as cirrhosis and peptic ulcer disease.

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Other Word Forms

• hemorrhagic
  adjective
• posthemorrhagic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hemorrhage

1665–75; < Latin haemorrhagia < Greek haimorrhagía. See hemo-, -rrhagia

Explanation

Medically speaking, a hemorrhage is a rapid loss of blood. If you fall and hit your head really hard, the doctors will check to see there's no cerebral hemorrhage, or bleeding in your brain. Hemorrhage is pronounced HEM-or-edge. Blame the Greeks for the funny spelling, because like many medical terms, this one comes from Greek roots. Besides the medical meaning, we use hemorrhage to mean the uncontrollable loss of other things. If sudden disaster is making you hemorrhage money, you'll have to cut back on fancy dinners and new shoes. Can I recommend frozen pizza?

Example Sentences

Hemorrhage and heart-related conditions came next, each accounting for about 13 percent.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2024

Costumed actors will interact with diners, who will choose from a menu that includes Witches Hair Pasta, the Death Wish-key cocktail and the Brain Hemorrhage, a chocolate brain-shaped dessert.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2021

The risks of brain surgery are significant: Hemorrhage and infection are possible in any surgery; operating on the brain adds the risks of permanent brain damage or stroke.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2021

Hemorrhage is a loss of blood that cannot be controlled by hemostatic mechanisms.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Hemorrhage must be guarded against by eliminating, as far as possible, all substances liable to cause an excessive gas formation in the intestines.

From Dietetics for Nurses by Proudfit, Fairfax T.

Related Words

• ooze