PHLEBOTOMY

n.1 the surgical opening or puncture of a vein.

2 esp. hist. blood-letting as a medical treatment.

Derivatives:

phlebotomist n. phlebotomize v.tr. (also -ise).

Etymology: ME f. OF flebothomi f. LL phlebotomia f. Gk f. phleps phlebos vein + -TOMY