Inflammation

Definition

Inflammation is a noun referring to the body's protective response to injury, infection, or irritation, characterized by redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function in the affected tissue.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /ˌɪn.fləˈmeɪ.ʃən/
• Respelling: in-fluh-MAY-shun

British English

• IPA: /ˌɪn.fləˈmeɪ.ʃən/
• Respelling: in-fluh-MAY-shun

Etymology

Late Middle English: from Latin inflammatio(n-) ‘a setting on fire,’ from inflammare ‘to set on fire,’ from in- ‘in’ + flammare ‘to flame.’

Derivatives

• inflame (verb)
• inflammable (adjective)
• inflammatory (adjective)
• inflammability (noun)
• inflammatorily (adverb)

Synonyms

• irritation
• swelling
• redness
• reaction
• tumefaction

Antonyms

• calm
• resolution
• quiescence
• reduction

Usage

The noun "inflammation" is used in medical, biological, and pathological contexts to refer to the protective vascular response of tissues to harmful stimuli. For example, "The patient exhibited inflammation around the wound site," or "Chronic inflammation is linked to many diseases."

Related Terms

• Immune response: The body's defense mechanism against pathogens.
• Cytokine: A signaling protein involved in inflammation.
• Infection: The invasion of host tissues by pathogens.
• Edema: Fluid accumulation in tissues causing swelling.
• Trauma: Physical injury triggering inflammatory processes.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• The body's protective response to injury or infection – characterized by five cardinal signs: redness (rubor), heat (calor), swelling (tumor), pain (dolor), and loss of function (functio laesa).
  • Example: "After spraining his ankle, he experienced significant inflammation that lasted several days."
• Localized swelling or irritation of tissue – a region showing signs of the inflammatory response.
  • Example: "The dentist noted inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) during the examination."