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Definition of "abscess" []

  • A localized collection of pus in part of the body, formed by tissue disintegration and surrounded by an inflamed area. (noun)
  • To form an abscess. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "abscess" in a sentence
  • "An abscess may form between the vertebræ and the wall of the pharynx -- _retro-pharyngeal abscess_ -- the pus accumulating between the diseased bones and the prevertebral layer of the cervical fascia."
  • "DESCRIPTION: The term abscess is a general one used for a localized inflammation and accumulation of yellow, white, or green pus."
  • "An abscess is a collection of infected fluid (pus)."