Definition

A medical term that refers to the abnormal enlargement or dilation of a hollow organ or structure in the body.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with bronchiectasis, a condition involving the dilation of the bronchi.

Conversation

I read an article about ectasis in the lungs and it was really interesting.

Oh really? What did it say about it?

It explained how conditions like bronchiectasis involve the ectasis of the bronchi.

That sounds serious! I didn't know it could affect breathing like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ectasis is derived from "ek-" (meaning out) and "tasis" (from "tasis", meaning stretching or expansion). The term refers to the act of stretching or expanding outwards, often used in medical contexts to describe dilation or expansion of a hollow organ.

Memory Tip

Think of 'stretching out' ('ek-' means out and 'tasis' means stretching) to remember that 'ectasis' refers to the expansion or dilation of something.

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