a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.

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Example Sentences

Septic shock is a serious condition that occurs when an overwhelming infection leads to life-threatening low blood pressure.

Still, a little septic slip shouldn't tank his or her grade.

Septic systems and sewers, in what are now suburban neighborhoods.

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Septic shock is a serious condition that occurs when an overwhelming infection leads to life-threatening low blood pressure.

Still, a little septic slip shouldn't tank his or her grade.

Septic systems and sewers, in what are now suburban neighborhoods.

They investigate possible food sources in garbage piles, septic tanks, and sputum.

They recycle sewage water for use in the clean water septic system.

Water from the tanks is filtered into an underground septic system and not discharged into local waterways.

Most homes have their own septic systems and use town water.

In all, only the drain field for the septic tank isn't built up or paved over.

Divert that water into the outdoor environment instead of into the septic system for truly green living.

The two disorders that may confuse this diagnosis are pseudogout and septic arthritis.

More encouraging still is that such humdrum topics as septic systems and cow-dung fires rose to the top of the agenda.

Garbage disposals require a heavy flow of water to process the waste appropriately and can contribute to septic tank problems.

He died of septic shock after being treated for cancer, the college said.

Old tyres and neglected swimming pools, septic tanks or potted plants-the mosquito has many incubators.

We also have widely used septic tank systems that are leaking into beaches.

Untreated wounds are turning septic and gangrenous, and there have been a few cases of tetanus.

Even this septic can appreciate what a compliment you were paid.

Several other complications, such as septic shock and comas, were seen for the first time.

Water managers are particularly concerned about runoff from the septic tanks used in homes.

Duroville, a community of distressed trailers amid gray septic ponds, is in danger of being shut down.

Then there is the story of the house with misconnected pipes whose septic tank backed up into a bathtub.

Many residents first thought the odor was from a broken septic system.

Recently, he had developed septic bedsores and pneumonia.

As for water and sewer service, many families have their own wells and septic tanks.

But his wound had not been thoroughly cleaned and under the cast his knee became septic.

It already had a septic system, a well and access to utilities.

Water covers the family's septic field and that of a neighbor.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

septic (ˈsɛptɪk)

—*adj*
1.	of, relating to, or caused by sepsis
2.	of, relating to, or caused by putrefaction

—n
3.	informal (Austral), (NZ) short for septic tank

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

'septically

—*adv*

septicity

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

septic

c.1600, from L. septicus "of or pertaining to putrefaction," from Gk. septikos "characterized by putrefaction," from sepein "cause to rot" (see sepsis). Septic tank is attested from 1902.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

septic sep·tic (sěp'tĭk)
adj.

Of, relating to, having the nature of, or affected by sepsis.
Causing or producing sepsis; putrefactive.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

sepsis (sěp'sĭs) Pronunciation Key
A severe infection caused by pathogenic organisms, especially bacteria, in the blood or tissues. If untreated, a localized infection, as in the respiratory or urinary tracts, can lead to infection in the bloodstream and widespread inflammation, characterized initially by fever, chills, and other symptoms and later by septic shock.

septic adjective

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