methemoglobin

noun

met·​he·​mo·​glo·​bin ˌmet-ˈhē-mə-ˌglō-bən How to pronounce methemoglobin (audio)
: a soluble brown crystalline basic blood pigment that differs from hemoglobin in containing ferric iron and in being unable to combine reversibly with molecular oxygen

Examples of methemoglobin 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.
Typical levels of methemoglobin in the blood range from 0% to 2%. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 23 Sep. 2019 Lab tests showed that the Rhode Island woman’s percentage of methemoglobin was 44%. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 23 Sep. 2019 So, methemoglobinemia is a rare blood disorder that causes people to produce an abnormal amount of methemoglobin. Maggie O'Neill, Health.com, 19 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of methemoglobin was in 1870

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Cite this Entry

“Methemoglobin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methemoglobin. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

methemoglobin

noun
met·​he·​mo·​glo·​bin
variants or chiefly British methaemoglobin
: a soluble brown crystalline basic blood pigment that is found in normal blood in much smaller amounts than hemoglobin, that is formed from blood, hemoglobin, or oxyhemoglobin by oxidation, and that differs from hemoglobin in containing ferric iron and in being unable to combine reversibly with molecular oxygen

called also ferrihemoglobin

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