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abscess

[ab-ses]
See more synonyms for abscess on Thesaurus.com
noun Pathology.
  1. a localized collection of pus in the tissues of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation and frequently caused by bacteria.

Origin of abscess

1535–45; < Latin abscessus a going away, abscess, equivalent to absced-, variant stem of abscēdere to go away, separate off, form an abscess (abs- abs- + cēdere; see cede) + -tus suffix of v. action, with -dt- > -ss-
Related formsab·scessed, adjectiveun·ab·scessed, adjective
Can be confusedabscess obsess
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for abscess

ulcer, carbuncle, boil, pustule

Examples from the Web for abscess

Contemporary Examples of abscess

Historical Examples of abscess

British Dictionary definitions for abscess

abscess

noun
  1. a localized collection of pus formed as the product of inflammation and usually caused by bacteria
verb
  1. (intr) to form such a collection of pus
Derived Formsabscessed, adjective

Word Origin for abscess

C16: from Latin abscessus a going away, a throwing off of bad humours, hence an abscess, from abscēdere to go away
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for abscess
n.

1610s, from Latin abscessus "an abscess" (Celsus), literally "a going away," from stem of abscedere "withdraw," from ab- "away" (see ab-) + cedere "to go" (see cede). The notion is that humors "go from" the body through the pus in the swelling.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
abscess in Medicine

abscess

[ăb′sĕs′]
n.
  1. A collection of pus formed by tissue destruction in an inflamed area of a localized infection.
  2. A cavity that is formed by liquefactive necrosis within solid tissue.
v.
  1. To form an abscess.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
abscess in Science

abscess

[ăb′sĕs′]
  1. A localized collection of pus surrounded by infected tissue.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
abscess in Culture

abscess

[(ab-ses)]

An inflamed area (see inflammation) in the body tissues that is filled with pus.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.