bloodletting
UK[ˈblʌdˌletɪŋ]US[ˈblʌdˌletɪŋ]
n
the former medical practice of removing blood from a patient, typically by cutting a vein or using leeches, in an attempt to cure or prevent an illness.
n
a situation involving violence or killing, especially in a war or conflict.
n
a severe reduction in the number of people working for an organization or involved in an activity, typically to save money.
Morpheme Breakdown
blood
letting
blood
red fluid in body
letting
act of allowing to escape
Etymology
the compound word 'bloodletting' is a transparent formation from two native english elements. 'blood' derives from the old english 'blōd', a common germanic term with cognates across indo-european languages, originally carrying the core sense of the vital fluid. 'letting' comes from the old english verb 'lǣtan', meaning to allow or permit, which evolved into the modern suffix '-letting' denoting the action of releasing. the term was coined in the late middle english period to literally describe the historical medical procedure of allowing blood to flow out of the body. this literal sense of controlled, therapeutic release later evolved metaphorically to describe violent conflict and, in modern business contexts, a drastic reduction in personnel, both carrying the connotation of a damaging but intentional loss.
Analysis
Structure: blood (red fluid in body) + letting (act of allowing to escape)
blood (old english 'blōd', of germanic origin, meaning the red liquid circulating in the body); letting (from old english '-lǣtan', meaning to allow or cause to go, a verbal noun-forming suffix indicating the action of the verb).
Examples
bloodletting was a common treatment for fever until the late 19th century.
the civil war resulted in a terrible bloodletting that devastated the population.
the company's financial troubles led to a major bloodletting of its middle management.