SWELLING
Dictionary entry overview: What does swelling mean?
• SWELLING (noun)
The noun SWELLING has 2 senses:
1. abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement
2. the swelling of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water)
Familiarity information: SWELLING used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• SWELLING (noun)
Meaning:
Abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
puffiness; swelling; lump
Hypernyms ("swelling" is a kind of...):
symptom ((medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease)
enlargement (the state of being enlarged)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "swelling"):
spermatocele (a swelling on the epididymis or the testis; usually contains spermatozoa)
oscheocele; oscheocoele (swelling of the scrotum)
lymphogranuloma (swelling of a lymph node)
iridoncus (swelling of the iris of the eye)
intumescence; intumescency (swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion))
haematocele; haematocoele; hematocele; hematocoele (swelling caused by blood collecting in a body cavity (especially a swelling of the membrane covering the testis))
dropsy; edema; hydrops; oedema (swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue)
bunion (a painful swelling of the bursa of the first joint of the big toe)
bloat (swelling of the rumen or intestinal tract of domestic animals caused by excessive gas)
tumidity; tumidness (slight swelling of an organ or part)
Meaning:
The swelling of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural processes
Synonyms:
intumescence; intumescency; swelling
Hypernyms ("swelling" is a kind of...):
chemical action; chemical change; chemical process ((chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved)
