ascites

American  

[uh-sahy-teez] / əˈsaɪ tiz /

noun

Pathology.

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

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ascites British  

/ əˈsɪtɪk, əˈsaɪtiːz /

noun

1. accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity

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Other Word Forms

• ascitic adjective
• ascitical adjective

Etymology

Origin of ascites

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

Compare meaning

How does ascites compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anasarca vs. ascites

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.

From BBC • May 9, 2024

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

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2021

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.

From Reuters • Oct. 11, 2021

He did not have to feel pain shooting throughout his abdomen, grossly distended with urinary ascites.

From Slate • Feb. 6, 2014

Other less common causes of ascites are chronic peritonitis, either tuberculous in the young, or due to cancer in the aged, and more rarely still pernicious anaemia.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 7 "Arundel, Thomas" to "Athens" by Various