ascites

[uh-sahy-teez]

noun

Pathology.

1. accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity; dropsy of the peritoneum.

ascites

/ əˈsɪtɪk, əˈsaɪtiːz /

noun

1. accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity

Other Word Forms

• ascitic adjective
• ascitical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ascites¹

1350–1400; Middle English aschites < Medieval Latin < Greek askítēs ( hýdrōps ) abdominal (dropsy), equivalent to ask ( ós ) belly + -itēs -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ascites¹

C14: from Latin: a kind of dropsy, from Greek askitēs, from askos wineskin

Example Sentences

As her liver function started to fail, Jane suffered from ascites - a build-up of fluid in her abdomen - that needed draining every 10 days.

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Those complications, claim the reports, include a build-up of abdominal fluid known as ascites and also hepatic encephalopathy, which can affect cognitive function.

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The public Czech Radio and newspaper denikn.cz cited seven sources as saying last month that the president had suffered from ascites, or liquid collecting in the abdomen, during his previous hospital stay.

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Doctors told Meldrum her child had Grade 3 severe ascites to the bowel, a condition that causes an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen.

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Doctors also found a moderate buildup of fluid, called ascites, in her abdomen and a rare type of cancer called peritoneal carcinomatosis.

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