Bloodletting (noun)

1. The practice of drawing blood from a patient as a medical treatment, typically to cure or prevent a disease.
2. The act of shedding or losing blood, especially in a violent manner.

Origin:

The word bloodletting is derived from the verb "to let" meaning "to allow to flow" and the noun "blood", it refers to the practice of drawing blood from a patient as a medical treatment. it was first recorded in english in the 14th century.

Examples:

1. The physician ordered bloodletting as a treatment for the patient's fever.
2. Bloodletting was a common practice in medieval medicine.
3. The war was a bloodletting, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
4. The stock market crash was a bloodletting for investors.
5. The company's restructuring resulted in a bloodletting of jobs.