Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Bloodletting

Blood′letˊting

,

Noun.

(Med.)

The act or process of letting blood or bleeding, as by opening a vein or artery, or by cupping or leeches; – esp. applied to venesection.

Webster 1828 Edition

Bloodletting

BLOOD'LETTING

,

Noun.

[blood and let.] The act of letting blood, or bleeding by opening a vein.

Definition 2024

bloodletting

bloodletting

English

Noun

bloodletting ‎(plural bloodlettings)

The archaic practice of treating illness by removing some blood, believed to be tainted, from the stricken person.
(by extension) the diminishment of any resource with the hope that this will lead to a positive effect.
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) f ‎(afaímaxi)
Irish: cuisleoireacht f, foladóireacht f, ródach m, ligean fola m, tarraingt fola f

Italian: salasso (it) m
Portuguese: sangria (pt) f
Russian: кровопуска́ние (ru) n ‎(krovopuskánije)
Swedish: åderlåtning (sv) c
Tagalog: tabad, pagtatabad

large amount of blood likely to be spilled through violence

Greek: αιματοχυσία (el) f ‎(aimatochysía)
Hungarian: vérontás (hu)

Russian: кровопроли́тие (ru) n ‎(krovoprolítije)
Swedish: blodsutgjutelse c

Verb

bloodletting

present participle of bloodlet