methemoglobinemia

noun

met·​he·​mo·​glo·​bi·​ne·​mia ˌmet-ˌhē-mə-ˌglō-bə-ˈnē-mē-ə 

: the presence of methemoglobin in the blood

Examples of methemoglobinemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the biggest concerns was with infant methemoglobinemia, a rare blood disorder. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

Medically, it is used to treat methemoglobinemia, a condition where hemoglobin cannot efficiently release oxygen to body tissues. —Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

High levels of nitrates in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia—Blue Baby Syndrome—in infants, as nitrates interfere with the blood's ability to carry oxygen. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025

The result was a medical condition called methemoglobinemia. —Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 3 Jan. 2021

The family had a genetic condition called methemoglobinemia in which the body's tissues receive insufficient oxygen, according to the National Cancer Institute. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2013

Our book woman is one of the blue people of coal mining country; blue people had abnormal hemoglobin caused by a lack of oxygen, a disease called methemoglobinemia. —Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune, 25 June 2021

He was transported to a local hospital and treated for methemoglobinemia until his hemoglobin levels returned to normal the next day. —Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 3 Jan. 2021

The protagonist is a woman who is a Kentucky Blue Fugate with the rare, real-life genetic condition methemoglobinemia, which turns white skin blue. —Heather John Fogarty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for methemoglobinemia

• hyperlipidemia
• hyperuricemia
• hypomagnesemia
• hypophosphatemia
• academia
• acidemia
• azotemia
• bacteremia
• hyperaemia
• hyperemia
• hypoxemia
• septicaemia

Medical Definition

methemoglobinemia

noun

met·​he·​mo·​glo·​bi·​ne·​mia

variants or chiefly British methaemoglobinaemia

ˌmet-ˌhē-mə-ˌglō-bə-ˈnē-mē-ə 

: the presence of methemoglobin in the blood due to conversion of part of the hemoglobin to this inactive form