sepsis

American  

[sep-sis] / ˈsɛp sɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. local or generalized invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins.

   dental sepsis; wound sepsis.

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sepsis British  

/ ˈsɛpsɪs /

noun

1. the presence of pus-forming bacteria in the body

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sepsis Scientific  

/ sĕp′sĭs /

1. A severe infection caused by pathogenic organisms, especially bacteria, in the blood or tissues. If untreated, a localized infection, as in the respiratory or urinary tracts, can lead to infection in the bloodstream and widespread inflammation, characterized initially by fever, chills, and other symptoms and later by septic shock.

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Etymology

Origin of sepsis

First recorded in 1855–60; from Greek sêpsis “decay”; compare sḗpein “to make rotten”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sepsis

To stop the sepsis spreading through her body, surgeons removed large areas of dead tissue from her left buttock.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Palantir tapped AI to lower early death rates from sepsis at Tampa General Hospital by more than two-thirds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Chase died following complications from meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis, her boyfriend told TMZ, which first reported the news.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026

He had been experiencing symptoms of bacterial pneumonia for “days to weeks” before sepsis set in, the certificate states.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

The doctor told my mother that if I had remained in Africa another day or two, the infection would have spread through my body, causing sepsis.

From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince