edema

especially British, oe·de·ma

[ih-dee-muh]

noun

Pathology.

plural

edemas, edemata 

1. effusion of serous fluid into the interstices of cells in tissue spaces or into body cavities.

2. Plant Pathology.

   1. a small surface swelling of plant parts, caused by excessive moisture.

   2. any disease so characterized.

edema

/ ɪˈdɛmətəs, ɪˈdiːmə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of oedema

edema

1. An accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or body cavities. Edema can be mild and benign as in pregnancy or prolonged standing in the elderly, or a serious sign of heart, liver, or kidney failure, or of other diseases.

Other Word Forms

• edematous adjective
• edematose adjective
• pseudoedema noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of edema¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from New Latin oedēma, from Greek oídēma “a swelling,” equivalent to oidē- (variant stem of oideîn “to swell”) + -ma noun suffix