edema

noun

ede·​ma i-ˈdē-mə 

1

: an abnormal infiltration and excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue or in a serous cavity

called also dropsy

2

a

: watery swelling of plant organs or parts

b

: any of various plant diseases characterized by such swellings

Examples of edema in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Without an innate pump, stagnant lymph fluid can lead to swelling and edema; but lymphatic drainage massage facilitates the more efficient passage of fluid from the lymph nodes, to the liver and kidneys, to be excreted from the body as urine. —Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Sabah had a hopeless prognosis: severe brain edema. —Ayesha Khan, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025

The news comes almost exactly one year after Cole began experiencing pain in his pitching elbow and was diagnosed with nerve irritation and edema. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 10 Mar. 2025

Changes to the eye According to the Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Space Medicine, long durations in space can change a person's eyes, including globe flattening, optic disc edema, and vision changes. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek oidēma swelling, from oidein to swell; akin to Armenian aytnu- swell, Old English ātor poison

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for edema

• extrema
• ulema
• cima
• pima
• prima
• rima
• schema
• sema
• sima
• thema
• emphysema
• empyema

Kids Definition

edema

noun

ede·​ma i-ˈdē-mə 

: an abnormal collection of watery fluid in a bodily tissue or cavity

Medical Definition

edema

noun

ede·​ma

variants or chiefly British oedema

i-ˈdē-mə 

plural edemas or chiefly British oedemas also edemata

-mət-ə

or chiefly British oedemata

: an abnormal excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue or in a serous cavity

called also dropsy