Emphysematous

/ˌɛmfɪsɪˈmeɪtəs/ adjective

Definition

A medical term describing the condition of having or relating to emphysema, a disease of the lungs characterized by damaged air sacs.

Etymology

From emphysema (from Greek em- + physa 'blowing, inflation') + -ous (adjectival suffix). Emphysema itself means abnormal air collection in tissues.

Kelly Says

Emphysematous sounds intensely medical, but it just means 'relating to air pockets in the lungs'—the Greek root physa means 'blowing,' connecting the disease to how air breaks down lung tissue.

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