sepsis

noun

sep·​sis ˈsep-səs 

plural sepses ˈsep-ˌsēz 

: a potentially life-threatening, systemic response of the immune system that results from the spread of pathogenic agents (such as bacteria or viruses) and their toxins to the bloodstream from a localized infection (as of the lungs), that involves both inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity, that is marked especially by fever, chills, rapid heart rate and breathing, fatigue, confusion, increased blood coagulation, hypotension, impaired microcirculation, and organ dysfunction, and that may progress to septic shock

Note: The primary cause of sepsis is pneumonia with secondary causes commonly including infections of the abdominal cavity and urinary tract.

compare septicemia

Examples of sepsis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nevaeh Crain, 18, also died from complications of sepsis after delays in care. —Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2025

However, to date, there has been no indication of sepsis in the pope's latest medical updates. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025

The main threat facing the pope is sepsis Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. —Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025

In an earlier study from 2015, Mina estimated that before vaccinations, when measles was common, the virus could have been implicated in as many as half of all childhood deaths from infectious disease, mostly from other diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, diarrheal diseases and meningitis. —Akshay Syal, M.d., NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek sēpsis decay, from sēpein to putrefy

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sepsis

• antisepsis
• asepsis

Medical Definition

sepsis

noun

sep·​sis ˈsep-səs 

plural sepses ˈsep-ˌsēz 

: a potentially life-threatening, systemic response of the immune system that results from the spread of pathogenic agents (as bacteria or viruses) and their toxins to the bloodstream from a localized infection (as of the lungs), that involves both inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity, and that is marked especially by fever, chills, rapid heart rate and breathing, fatigue, confusion, increased blood coagulation, hypotension, impaired microcirculation, and organ dysfunction, and that may progress to septic shock

Note: The primary cause of sepsis is pneumonia with secondary causes commonly including infections of the abdominal cavity and urinary tract.

compare multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, septicemia