Abscess Definition

ăbsĕs
abscesses
noun
A swollen, inflamed area in bodily tissues, in which pus gathers.
Webster's New World
A localized collection of pus in part of the body, formed by tissue disintegration and surrounded by an inflamed area.
American Heritage Medicine

A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue. [First attested in the mid 16th century.]

Wiktionary
verb
To form an abscess.
Webster's New World
To form an abscess.
American Heritage Medicine

(intransitive) To form a pus filled cavity typically from an infection.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Abscess

Noun

Singular:
abscess
Plural:
abscesses

Origin of Abscess

  • Latin abscessus separation, abscess from past participle of abscēdere to go away, slough, form an abscess (possibly translation of Greek apostēma distance, abscess) (from aphistasthai to withdraw, slough, form an abscess) ab- away ab–1 cēdere to go ked- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin abscessus (“a going away; gathering of humors, abscess”), from abscēdō (“go away, depart”), from abs (“away from”) + cēdō (“go”). See cede.

    From Wiktionary

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