tumescent

[ too-mes-uhnt, tyoo- ]

adjective

1. swelling; slightly tumid.
2. exhibiting or affected with many ideas or emotions; teeming.
3. pompous and pretentious, especially in the use of language; bombastic.

tumescent

/ tjuːˈmɛsənt /

adjective

1. swollen or becoming swollen

Derived Forms

• tuˈmescence, noun

Other Words From

• tu·mescence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tumescent¹

1880–85; < Latin tumēscent- (stem of tumēscēns, present participle of tumēscere to begin to swell), equivalent to tum ( ēre ) to swell + -ēscent- -escent

Word History and Origins

Origin of tumescent¹

C19: from Latin tumescere to begin to swell, from tumēre

Example Sentences

The bear, suddenly tumescent, sexually penetrates one of the ubiquitous sandals seen on Russian men anytime in summer.

From The Daily Beast

Except for the occasional mosquito, there was no sound save the tumescent sea and his voice.

From Project Gutenberg