Cachectical

/kəˈkɛktɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

An alternate or archaic adjectival form of cachectic; relating to or showing signs of cachexia and severe bodily wasting.

Etymology

Variant form of 'cachectic' with the additional suffix '-al,' creating a doubly-marked adjective. This older form reflects 19th-century medical writing when multiple forms of the same adjective were common.

Kelly Says

Medical language evolved just like all language—'cachectical' is what older doctors called what we now simply call 'cachectic,' showing how even medical terms become streamlined over time.

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