Pathology. a closed, bladderlike sac formed in animal tissues, containing fluid or semifluid matter.
a bladder, sac, or vesicle.
Botany, Mycology.
a sporelike cell with a resistant, protective wall.
a cell or cavity enclosing reproductive bodies.
Zoology.
a sac, usually spherical, surrounding an animal that has passed into a dormant condition.
such a sac plus the contained animal.
a capsule or resistant covering.
pathol any abnormal membranous sac or blisterlike pouch containing fluid or semisolid material
anatomy any normal sac or vesicle in the body
a thick-walled protective membrane enclosing a cell, larva, or organism
An abnormal membranous sac in the body, containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance.
A small, capsulelike form of certain organisms that develops in response to adverse or extreme conditions. Under adverse conditions, for instance, dinoflagellates form nonmotile resting cysts that fall to the ocean or lake bottom and can remain there for years before reviving. Certain invertebrates, such as the water bear (phylum Tardigrada), also develop cysts.
What does cyst- mean? The combining form cyst- is a combining form used like a suffix meaning “cyst,” which is a scientific term for a bladder, sac, or vesicle. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology and pathology. The form cyst- comes from Greek kýstis, meaning “bag,” “pouch,” or “bladder.”What are variants of cyst-?The form cyst- is a variant of cysto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. A rare variant of cysto- is cysti-, as in cystiform. When used as a suffix, the combining form cyst- becomes -cyst, as in oocyst. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for these forms.
What does -cyst mean? The combining form -cyst is used like a suffix meaning “cyst,” which is a scientific term for a bladder, sac, or vesicle. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form -cyst comes from Greek kýstis, meaning “bag,” “pouch,” or “bladder.”What are variants of -cyst?When used as a prefix, the combining form -cyst variously becomes cyst-, cysti-, or cysto- (as in cystoma). Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for these forms.
First recorded in 1705–15; from New Latin cystis, from Greek kýstis “bag, pouch, bladder”; akin to kŷma cyma
A cyst is a small growth that forms in the body. That squishy, fluid-filled mass on your calf could be a cyst. The word cyst entered English in the 18th century by way of the Latin word cystis, tracing all the way back to the Greek word kustis, meaning “bladder.” Like your bladder, a cyst is sort of like a small pouch, one that’s typically filled with liquid. Unlike the bladder, however, a cyst is closed, meaning the liquid can’t get out. A cyst is often an abnormal formation in the body, so doctors often remove them.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The drug works by blocking vasopressin, which helps reduce cyst growth.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
Ueda is expected to remain in the hospital for about two weeks while receiving treatment for an infected liver cyst, the central bank said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
She said: "The pain started to become a daily thing after my ovarian cyst ruptured and then my mobility started to be affected and I couldn't work."
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
During a recent health crisis, an emergency surgery to remove a cyst, Montoya said she wanted support in the hospital but did not have any options available to her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
Agnew and Hamilton knew from their years practicing military surgery that the human body often encases a bullet in a cyst, or sac, making it harmless.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Over time, these cysts can impair kidney function and eventually lead to kidney failure.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
"This is not just cysts in women's ovaries," she said.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
The change reflects a broader scientific understanding of the condition as a multisystem disorder that affects metabolic, hormonal, reproductive and mental health — not simply a condition defined by ovarian cysts.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
During her GCSEs she made repeated hospital visits but was told cysts and growths found during ultrasounds would pass on their own.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
Some had crooked backs, or humps, or horns, or antlers, or bulging cysts, or tails.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
