dialysis
noun
Simple meaning
A method of separating molecules or particles of different sizes by differential diffusion through a semipermeable membrane.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dyaluhsuhsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
daɪˈæləsəs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
medicine
The use of this method for the removal of waste products from the blood in the case of kidney failure: hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
chemistry
A method of separating molecules or particles of different sizes by differential diffusion through a semipermeable membrane.
rhetoric
The spelling out of alternatives, or presenting of either-or arguments that lead to a conclusion.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The use of this method for the removal of waste products from the blood in the case of kidney failure: hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
Used this way, dialysis is a specialist word with a clearly unfavourable pull. This is a clinical use: it belongs to medical description, where it is factual rather than emotive.
- Emotional tone
- Negative
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Serious and weighty
- Usage feel
- Clinical and detached
Where it naturally appears
- Medicine/healthcare
- Science
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use dialysis
- “The patient needs regular dialysis treatments to filter their blood.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Method / separation
Other combinations
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A medical instrument for separating substances in solution by unequal diffusion through semipermeable membranes.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.