septicaemia
|sep-ti-cae-mi-a|
/ˌsɛptɪˈsiːmiə/
blood infection
Etymology
'septicaemia' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'septikos' and 'haima', where 'septikos' meant 'putrefactive' and 'haima' meant 'blood'.
'septicaemia' was formed in medical/modern Latin from the Greek roots (as 'septicaemia') and entered English in the 19th century with essentially the same form.
Initially, it referred to 'putrefaction of the blood', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'blood infection caused by pathogenic organisms or their toxins'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a severe condition in which pathogenic organisms or their toxins are present in the bloodstream; blood poisoning (often used interchangeably with 'septicemia' and related to sepsis).
He was admitted to hospital with septicaemia after the infected wound was left untreated.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/09 12:47