empyema

[ em-pee-ee-muh, -pahy- ]

nounPathology.
  1. a collection of pus in a body cavity, especially the pleural cavity.

Origin of empyema

1
1605–15; <Late Latin <Greek empýēma abscess, equivalent to em-em-2 + pyē- (variant stem of pyeîn to suppurate, akin to pýon, pýos pus) + -ma noun suffix denoting result of action

Other words from empyema

  • em·py·e·mic, adjective

Words Nearby empyema

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How to use empyema in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for empyema

empyema

/ (ˌɛmpaɪˈiːmə) /


nounplural -emata (-ˈiːmətə) or -emas
  1. a collection of pus in a body cavity, esp in the chest

Origin of empyema

1
C17: from Medieval Latin, from Greek empuēma abscess, from empuein to suppurate, from puon pus

Derived forms of empyema

  • empyemic, adjective

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