Haemagglutination

/ˌhiːməˌɡluːtɪˈneɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The process or result of red blood cells clumping together, often used to identify viruses or test blood compatibility.

Etymology

From haema + agglutination (noun form of agglutinate), derived from Latin gluten (glue). This term became standard in medical testing in the 20th century.

Kelly Says

Haemagglutination is the basis for rapid flu tests and blood-typing! When you get a flu test that shows results in minutes, you're actually watching for this clumping reaction, which tells doctors exactly what virus you have.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.