edema

e·de·ma also oe·de·ma  (-dm)

n. pl. e·de·mas or e·de·ma·ta (-m-t)

1. Pathology An excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue spaces or a body cavity.

2. Botany Extended swelling in plant organs caused primarily by an excessive accumulation of water.

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[Middle English ydema, from Greek oidma, a swelling, from oidein, to swell.]

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e·dema·tous (-dm-ts) adj.

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edema [id-deem-a]

Noun

pl -mata same as oedema

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edema  (-dm)

An accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or body cavities. Edema can be mild and benign as in pregnancy or prolonged standing in the elderly, or a serious sign of heart, liver, or kidney failure, or of other diseases.

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edema

abnormal collecting of fluids in the cells, tissues, and other parts of the body, causing swelling. — edematous, edematose, adj.

See also: Disease and Illness

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

edema - swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities dropsy, hydrops, oedema angioedema, atrophedema, giant hives, periodic edema, Quincke's edema - recurrent large circumscribed areas of subcutaneous edema; onset is sudden and it disappears within 24 hours; seen mainly in young women, often as an allergic reaction to food or drugs lymphedema - swelling (usually in the legs) caused by lymph accumulating in the tissues in the affected areas scleredema - a skin disease marked by hard edema of the tissue usually beginning in the face cystoid macular edema - a specific pattern of swelling in the central retina puffiness, swelling, lump - an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement anasarca - generalized edema with accumulation of serum in subcutaneous connective tissue chemosis - edema of the mucous membrane of the eyeball and eyelid lining papilledema - swelling of the optic disc (where the optic nerve enters the eyeball); usually associated with an increase in intraocular pressure brain edema, cerebral edema - swelling of the brain due to the uptake of water in the neuropile and white matter