(linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until'

• Some are retained and the rest are returned to the donor by transfusion
• A procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its components by dialysis
• Loss of a sound at the start of a word, as "opossum" to "possum"
• Term for the dropping of an initial letter, as in "possum"

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Apheresis (ἀφαίρεσις ( aphairesis , "a taking away")) is a medical technology in which the blood of a donor or patient is passed through an apparatus that separates out one particular constituent and returns the remainder to the circulation. It is thus ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 (context linguistics prosody English) elision, suppression, or complete loss of a letter or sound (syllable) from the beginning of a word, such as the development of (term special) from (term especial); procope. 2 (context medicine specific still current ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until' [syn: aphaeresis ] a procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its components by dialysis; some are retained and the rest are returned to the ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Apheresis \A*pher"e*sis\ (?; 277), n. [L. aphaeresis, Gr. ?, fr. ? to take away; ? + ? to take.] (Gram.) The dropping of a letter or syllable from the beginning of a word; e. g., cute for acute. (Surg.) An operation by which any part is separated from the ...