Abnormal permanent dilation or stretching of a duct, blood vessel, or hollow organ in the body.
From Greek ektasis 'stretching out,' from ek- 'out' + tasis 'stretching.' Used in medical terminology since ancient times to describe pathological enlargement of body structures.
You hear ectasia all the time in medical terms like 'telangiectasia' (dilated blood vessels causing red marks on skin) and 'bronchiectasis'—it's a root word that describes what happens when something inside stretches and doesn't snap back.
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