Erythropoietic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the biological processes that lead to the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow
2. Associated with the mechanisms responsible for the synthesis of erythrocytes within the body
3. Relating to the physiological activities involved in the creation and maturation of red blood cells within the hematopoietic system

Etymology: Erythropoietic is a technical coinage built from parts that are themselves older than the word. Its base, "erythropoiesis," joins the Greek "erythros," meaning red, with "poiesis," meaning making or production, so the literal sense is "red-making." The adjective is simply that noun with the suffix "-ic" attached, the same ending found in countless English adjectives such as "magnetic" or "fibrotic." The suffix reached English through Old French and Latin, where "-icus" marked a relation to something, so an erythropoietic process is one that relates to the making of red blood cells. The word is therefore a modern scientific formation rather than something the ancient Greeks would have used. Its parts come from classical roots, but the combined term belongs to the language of modern physiology and medicine, where it describes tissues, factors, and disorders involved in producing red blood cells, particularly in bone marrow.