refluxing
|re-flux-ing|
/ˈriːflʌks/
(reflux)
backward flow
Etymology
'reflux' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'refluxus', where 're-' meant 'back' and 'fluere' meant 'to flow'.
'refluxus' in Latin passed into Late Latin and then into English (via Medieval/Modern borrowings) as 'reflux', keeping the sense of 'flowing back'.
Initially it meant 'a flowing back' and over time it has kept this core meaning while gaining specific technical senses in medicine and chemistry ('backflow' and 'heating to return condensed vapor').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of refluxing; a backward flow or return of fluid (used as a gerund/noun).
Refluxing can cause irritation if stomach acid reaches the throat.
Synonyms
Verb 1
present participle of 'reflux': to undergo a backward flow; (in medicine) to flow back, as stomach contents or other bodily fluids.
The patient was refluxing acid into the esophagus after meals.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/27 07:40