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abscess

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ab⋅scess

[ab-ses]
–noun Pathology.
a localized collection of pus in the tissues of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation and frequently caused by bacteria.

Origin:
1535–45; < L abscessus a going away, abscess, equiv. to absced-, var. s. of abscēdere to go away, separate off, form an abscess (abs- abs- + cēdere; see cede ) + -tus suffix of v. action, with -dt- > -ss-


abscessed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ab·scess   (āb'sěs')   
n.  A localized collection of pus in part of the body, formed by tissue disintegration and surrounded by an inflamed area.
intr.v.   ab·scessed, ab·scess·ing, ab·scess·es
To form an 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; see ab-1 + cēdere, to go; see ked- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

abscess [(ab-ses)]

An inflamed area (see inflammation) in the body tissues that is filled with pus.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

abscess 
1543, from L. abscessus "an abscess" (Celsus), lit. "a going away," from stem of abscedere "withdraw," from ab- "away" + cedere "to go" (see cede). The notion is that humors "go from" the body through the pus in the swelling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ab·scess
Pronunciation: 'ab-"ses
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ab·scess·es /'ab-s&s-"Ez, -"ses-,-&z/
: a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue —ab·scessed /-"sest/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

abscess ab·scess (āb'sěs')
n.

  1. A collection of pus formed by tissue destruction in an inflamed area of a localized infection.

  2. A cavity that is formed by liquefactive necrosis within solid tissue.

v. ab·scessed, ab·scess·ing, ab·scess·es
To form an abscess.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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