septic

[ sep-tik ]
See synonyms for septic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. Pathology.

    • relating to, caused by, or affected by sepsis or infection: Adequate and prompt antibiotic therapy is essential for a septic patient.She was admitted to the hospital with septic shock.

    • causing sepsis or infection: If care is not taken, there is the potential for introducing septic agents through injection.

  2. relating to or designed for the treatment of sewage by anaerobic bacteria: The rural property, just shy of three acres, is on a private well and septic system.Contamination of the bay may be a result of insufficient septic drainfields or faulty sewer lines or pumping stations.

nounInformal.
  1. a septic tank or septic system: They were able to get to my house the next day, drain the septic, and fix the sump pump.Here’s what to do if your septic is leaking.

Origin of septic

1
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin sēpticus, from Greek sēptikós, from sēpt(ós) “rotted” (from sḗpein “to make rotten”; cf. sepsis ) + -ikos -ic

Other words from septic

  • sep·ti·cal·ly, adverb
  • sep·tic·i·ty [sep-tis-i-tee], /sɛpˈtɪs ɪ ti/, noun
  • non·sep·tic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for septic

septic

/ (ˈsɛptɪk) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or caused by sepsis

  2. of, relating to, or caused by putrefaction

noun
  1. Australian and NZ informal short for septic tank

Origin of septic

1
C17: from Latin sēpticus, from Greek sēptikos, from sēptos decayed, from sēpein to make rotten

Derived forms of septic

  • septically, adverb
  • septicity (sɛpˈtɪsɪtɪ), noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012