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abscess
[ ab-ses ]
/ ˈæb sɛs /
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noun Pathology.
a localized collection of pus in the tissues of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation and frequently caused by bacteria.
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Origin of abscess
OTHER WORDS FROM abscess
abscessed, adjectiveun·ab·scessed, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH abscess
abscess , obsessWords nearby abscess
abs, Absalom, Absaroka Range, ABS brake, Abscam, abscess, abscind, abscise, abscisic acid, abscissa, abscission
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use abscess in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for abscess
abscess
/ (ˈæbsɛs, -sɪs) /
noun
a localized collection of pus formed as the product of inflammation and usually caused by bacteria
verb
(intr) to form such a collection of pus
Derived forms of abscess
abscessed, adjectiveWord 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
Scientific definitions for abscess
abscess
[ ăb′sĕs′ ]
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.
Cultural definitions for abscess
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.