The widening or expansion of a hollow organ, vessel, or opening in the body, either naturally or through medical intervention. This can occur pathologically due to disease or therapeutically during medical procedures.
From Latin 'dilatare' meaning 'to spread wide' (dis- 'apart' + latus 'wide'). The term entered medical usage in the 14th century, initially describing the natural expansion of body openings during childbirth, then expanding to include pathological and therapeutic applications.
Try Another Word