inflammation

American  

[in-fluh-mey-shuhn] / ˌɪn fləˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

• inflammations
  plural

1. Pathology. redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body, especially as a reaction of tissues to injurious agents.

2. the act or fact of inflaming.

3. the state of being inflamed.

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inflammation British  

/ ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the reaction of living tissue to injury or infection, characterized by heat, redness, swelling, and pain

2. the act of inflaming or the state of being inflamed

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inflammation Scientific  

/ ĭn′flə-mā′shən /

1. The reaction of a part of the body to injury or infection, characterized by swelling, heat, redness, and pain. The process includes increased blood flow with an influx of white blood cells and other chemical substances that facilitate healing.

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inflammation Cultural  

1. The response of tissue to injury or infection. Pain, heat, redness, and swelling are the four basic symptoms of inflammation.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subinflammation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• inflammations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of inflammation

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin inflammātiōn-, stem of inflammātiō, from inflammāt(us) “kindled” (past participle of inflammāre “to kindle”; see inflame) + -iō -ion

Explanation

An inflammation means "setting something on fire." Maybe it's a political movement that suddenly takes hold, romantic feelings, the heat making your shoes feel tight, or someone lighting a campfire. Inflammation comes from the root inflame, from the Latin word inflammare meaning "to set on fire with passion." That meaning sounds pretty good, but an inflammation on your face, like a terrible rash, probably isn't going to inflame anyone's passion, at least until the swelling goes down. It probably also causes pain and discomfort.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inflammation inflammations

This produces chronic inflammation in “every nook and cranny of the body” and increases the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Justin Wrobleski, dealing with forearm inflammation, will be in the bullpen when he returns from the 15-day injured list.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

"We found that oral butyrate treatment induces a sustained immunoregulatory response in the intestine, characterized by increased IL-10 production in CD4+ T-cells and protection from intestinal inflammation even after butyrate treatment is stopped," Yu said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

As scientists link oral bacteria to heart disease and cognitive decline, a push is under way to treat the mouth as a source of body-wide inflammation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

One doctor, noticing inflammation under Dr. Philobosian’s eyelids, had stopped the examination and chalked an X on his coat.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Like other autoimmune diseases, which include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus, these autoimmune brain inflammations, or encephalitides, arise when antibodies turn against the body.

From Science Magazine ● May 15, 2024

Progressed oral infections and inflammations -- endodontic lesions and periodontitis -- are known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 16, 2023

Compounds similar to the snake’s active toxin are used to treat inflammations.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Some user reviews have said that silk pillowcases helped reduce lesions and lessen inflammations such as acne and dermatitis, and many advertisements tout silk’s antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 5, 2021

We slept hour after hour, ate a little, tended our frostbites, inflammations, and bruises, mindspoke, slept again.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• infection
• irritation
• pain
• rash
• sore
• tenderness