Definition

The condition where pus accumulates in a body cavity, particularly in the space around the lungs.

Example

The doctor diagnosed the patient with empyema after examining the chest X-ray.

Conversation

I heard that my uncle has been diagnosed with empyema after his surgery.

Oh no, that sounds serious! What does that even mean?

It means he has pus in his chest cavity, which is pretty concerning.

Yikes, I hope he gets the treatment he needs soon.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Empyema is derived from the Greek "empyēma" (meaning a collection of pus), which itself comes from "em-" (meaning in) and "puon" (meaning pus). The term describes a condition where pus accumulates in a body cavity, particularly in the pleural space of the lungs.

Memory Tip

Think of 'in' ('em-') and 'pus' ('puon') to remember that empyema refers to a condition where pus is collected inside the body.

Visually Confused Words