Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

abscess

/ˈæbsɛs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.81 in modern English

Syllables
ab-scess
IPA
/ˈæbsɛs/
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue.

verb

To form a pus-filled cavity, typically from an infection.

Intransitive verb

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin abscessus (“a going away; gathering of humors, abscess”), from abscēdō (“go away, depart”), from abs (“away from”) + cēdō (“go”). See cede.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈæbsɛs/

Usage

Inflected Forms

abscesses (plural) abscesses (present, singular) abscessing (participle, present) abscessed (participle, past) abscessed (past)

Derived Forms

abscessation abscessogenic microabscess

Phrases

abbey-countershirt-stud abscess abscess root Bartholin abscess blind abscess Brodie's abscess cold abscess collar-button abscess collar stud abscess

Frequently Paired Words

boil carbuncle gathering pustule

Rhymes With

absciss absis

Questions

How do you pronounce abscess?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæbsɛs/.
What does abscess mean?
A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue.
Where does abscess come from?
Borrowed from Latin abscessus (“a going away; gathering of humors, abscess”), from abscēdō (“go away, depart”), from abs (“away from”) + cēdō (“go”). See cede.

How to pronounce abscess

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “abscess”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæbsɛs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “abscess”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “abscess” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.