pus

[ puhs ]

noun

1. a yellow-white, more or less viscid substance produced by suppuration and found in abscesses, sores, etc., consisting of a liquid plasma in which white blood cells are suspended.

pus

/ pʌs /

noun

1. the yellow or greenish fluid product of inflammation, composed largely of dead leucocytes, exuded plasma, and liquefied tissue cells

pus

/ pŭs /

1. A thick, yellowish-white liquid that forms in infected body tissues, consisting of white blood cells, dead tissue, and cellular debris.

Other Words From

• puslike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pus¹

1535–45; < Latin; akin to Greek pýon pus. See pyo-

Word History and Origins

Origin of pus¹

C16: from Latin pūs; related to Greek puon pus

Example Sentences

Swelling, pus, the whole shebang; an angry reaction that lasted weeks.

From The Daily Beast

Various scratches and cuts line her arms and face; a pus-filled abscess burns on her right arm.

From The Daily Beast

At that point, Tyson had become a scavenger spewing bile and pus.

From The Daily Beast

It is thinner than that of chronic bronchitis, and upon standing separates into three layers of pus, mucus, and frothy serum.

From Project Gutenberg

When at all abundant, pus forms a white sediment resembling amorphous phosphates macroscopically.

From Project Gutenberg

Pus-casts may appear if the process extends up into the kidney tubules (see Fig. 62).

From Project Gutenberg

In suppurations of the urinary tract pus-producing organisms may be found.

From Project Gutenberg

On the other hand, except in children, where the percentage is normally low, pus is uncommon with less than 80 per cent.

From Project Gutenberg