erythropoiesis

noun

eryth·​ro·​poi·​e·​sis i-ˌrith-rō-pȯi-ˈē-səs How to pronounce erythropoiesis (audio)
: the production of red blood cells (as from the bone marrow)
erythropoietic
i-ˌrith-rō-pȯi-ˈe-tik How to pronounce erythropoiesis (audio)
adjective

Examples of erythropoiesis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the 1990s Dr Semenza was studying erythropoiesis, the process that generates red blood corpuscles. — The Economist, 12 Oct. 2019 Your doctor can prescribe a drug known as an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), which sends a signal to your bone marrow to make more red blood cells, according to the NIDDK. — Hallie Levine, Health.com, 13 Dec. 2021

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of erythropoiesis was in 1918

Browse Nearby Words

erythroplastid
erythropoiesis
erythropoietic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Erythropoiesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erythropoiesis. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

erythropoiesis

noun
eryth·​ro·​poi·​e·​sis i-ˌrith-rō-pȯi-ˈē-səs How to pronounce erythropoiesis (audio)
plural erythropoieses -ˌsēz How to pronounce erythropoiesis (audio)
: the production of red blood cells (as from the bone marrow)

called also erythrocytopoiesis, erythrogenesis

erythropoietic
-ˈet-ik How to pronounce erythropoiesis (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on erythropoiesis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about erythropoiesis

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All