noun

abscess

abscess

He had to get a dental abscess treated.

He had to get a dental abscess treated.

An abscess is a collection of pus.

An abscess is a collection of pus.

a collection of pus He had a dental abscess.

Synonyms: boil, sore, pustule, infection

From Latin 'ab-' (away) + 'cedere' (to go). The idea is that bad humors 'go away' from the body and collect in a swelling.

Think 'ab-' (away) and '-cess' (go). It's something bad 'going away' from the body to collect in one spot.

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