How to Pronounce Hematemesis

Hematemesis is pronounced hee-mah-TEM-eh-sis. Say it out loud as four syllables: "hee" (rhymes with "see"), "mah" (rhymes with "ah"), "TEM" (rhymes with "them"), and "eh-sis" (like "eh" plus "sis"). The stress falls on the third syllable, TEM, which should be said louder and longer than the others.

Many people incorrectly stress the first or second syllable, saying "HEM-ah-temesis" or "hem-AH-temesis." The correct way puts the emphasis on TEM: hee-mah-TEM-eh-sis. Remembering that TEM rhymes with "them" can help you get the stress in the right place.

Hematemesis breaks down into four syllables: hem-a-tem-e-sis. If you sound out each part separately—hem, a, tem, e, sis—it becomes easier to pronounce the whole word correctly.

Hematemesis comes from two Greek word parts: "hemat-" which means blood, and "-emesis" which means vomiting or an act of throwing up. Put together, the word literally means "blood vomiting."

Hematemesis is the medical term for vomiting blood. Instead of saying "the patient is vomiting blood," a doctor might say "the patient has hematemesis" to describe this serious symptom.

Other medical words share these same roots: "hematology" (study of blood), "hematoma" (a pool of blood under the skin), and "hemophilia" (a blood clotting disorder). "Emesis" also appears in words like "antiemetic" (a medicine that stops vomiting). Recognizing these roots helps you understand and remember many medical terms.

Here's an example: "When the doctor asked about her symptoms, the patient reported hematemesis, and the medical team acted right away." You would use this word when talking or writing about the symptom in a medical context.

In medical writing, hematemesis is sometimes abbreviated as HEM, though the full word is more commonly used when speaking. The abbreviation is less common than with some other medical terms.