sepsis
Sepsis (noun) means a dangerous, whole-body inflammatory response to infection that can damage tissues and organs and turn life-threatening very quickly. Example: “The nurse spotted the early signs of sepsis and rushed him to intensive care.”
How to use sepsis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA serious, body-wide reaction to infection where the immune system starts damaging the body's own organs.
Sepsis is not the infection itself — it's the body's dangerous overreaction to it.
Word forms
sepses plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The nurse spotted the early signs of _____ and rushed him to intensive care.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek sêpsis, "putrefaction," from sḗpō, "to make rotten."
Frequently asked questions
What does “sepsis” mean?
The word “sepsis” means a dangerous, whole-body inflammatory response to infection that can damage tissues and organs and turn life-threatening very quickly. In plain terms, a serious, body-wide reaction to infection where the immune system starts damaging the body's own organs.
How do you pronounce “sepsis”?
“Sepsis” is pronounced SEHP-sihs (/ˈsɛpsɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “sepsis” in a sentence?
Here is “sepsis” used in a sentence: “The nurse spotted the early signs of sepsis and rushed him to intensive care.”
What part of speech is “sepsis”?
“Sepsis” is a noun.
Where does the word “sepsis” come from?
The word “sepsis” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek sêpsis, "putrefaction," from sḗpō, "to make rotten.".