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SPHACELUS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply)
Synonyms:
gangrene; mortification; necrosis; sphacelus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Hypernyms ("sphacelus" is a kind of...):
death (the permanent end of all life functions in an organism or part of an organism)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sphacelus"):
myonecrosis (localized death of muscle cell fibers)
Derivation:
sphacelate (undergo necrosis)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass
Synonyms:
gangrene; slough; sphacelus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("sphacelus" is a kind of...):
pathology (any deviation from a healthy or normal condition)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sphacelus"):
cold gangrene; dry gangrene; mumification necrosis; mummification ((pathology) gangrene that develops in the presence of arterial obstruction and is characterized by dryness of the dead tissue and a dark brown color)
clostridial myonecrosis; emphysematous gangrene; emphysematous phlegmon; gangrenous emphysema; gas gangrene; gas phlegmon; progressive emphysematous necrosis ((pathology) a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by clostridium bacteria that produce toxins that cause tissue death; can be used as a bioweapon)
Derivation:
sphacelate (undergo necrosis)
