1756, "one who lets blood," agent noun from bleed (v.) in the transitive sense. As "one with hemophilia," from 1803, from the intransitive sense.
Entries linking to bleeder
bleed v.
Old English bledan, "cause to lose blood, to let blood" (in Middle English and after, especially "to let blood from surgically"), also (intransitive) "emit blood," from Proto-Germanic *blodjan "emit blood" (source also of Old Norse blæða, Dutch bloeden, German bluten), from PIE *bhlo-to- "swell, gush, spurt," or "that which bursts out," from suffixed form of root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom."
The meaning "extort money from" is from 1670s. Of dyes or paints, "to wash out," from 1862. Figuratively, of the heart, "suffer anguish, feel pity or sorrow," late 14c.