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edema

oedema, swelling

noun eh-DEH-mah Rare
Body & Health Health & Illness

Origin: From Greek 'oidema' (swelling), from 'oidein' (to swell).

Usage Note

Edema is a medical term for abnormal fluid accumulation in body tissues. Like many nouns ending in -ma of Greek origin, it is masculine: l'edema, plural gli edemi. Learners often mistake it for feminine by analogy with -a endings. Common collocations: edema polmonare (pulmonary oedema), edema cerebrale (cerebral oedema).

Examples

"Il medico ha diagnosticato un edema alla caviglia."

Natural Translation

The doctor diagnosed oedema in the ankle.

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