Abscessed

/ˈæbsɛst/ adjective

Definition

Affected by or containing an abscess, which is a pocket of pus that forms in infected tissue.

Etymology

From 'abscess' (from Latin 'abscessus,' past participle of 'abscedere' meaning 'to go away,' as pus 'goes away' from the tissue) plus '-ed' to create an adjective.

Kelly Says

Our ancestors called abscesses 'postumes' because they thought the pus was forming from 'putrefaction'—they didn't realize bacteria created the infection; they just saw decomposition happening inside the body.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.