PHLEBOTOMY

n. 1 the surgical opening or puncture of a vein. 2 esp. hist. blood-letting as a medical treatment. phlebotomist n. phlebotomize v.tr. (also -ise).

[ ME f. OF flebothomi f. LL phlebotomia f. Gk f. phleps phlebos vein + -TOMY ]