lymphedema

American  

[lim-fi-dee-muh] / ˌlɪm fɪˈdi mə /

noun

Pathology.

1. the accumulation of lymph in soft tissue with accompanying swelling, often of the extremities: sometimes caused by inflammation, obstruction, or removal of lymph channels.

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Etymology

Origin of lymphedema

First recorded in 1885–90; lymph- + edema

Example Sentences

"I have also recently had a breast infection which led to lymphedema and I had to take time off work again even though I had just returned after a year off."

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Williams first announced in July 2021 that she would take a short hiatus from her talk show, but it was extended because of myriad health issues from COVID-19 to Graves’ disease and lymphedema.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2024

Because she'd been treated for breast cancer a few years earlier, she'd initially thought her symptoms might have been related to lymphedema.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2023

She did not need to have all of her lymph nodes removed and did not develop lymphedema.

From New York Times • Jul. 23, 2022

The accompanying illustration shows the condition of the limb of a girl of twenty-one, the subject of lymphedema, five years after the inception of the disease.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)