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Added 10 October 2026

sepsis

/ˈsɛpsɪs/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sepsis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues.

Origin

From Ancient Greek σῆψις (sêpsis, “putrefaction”), from σήπω (sḗpō, “to make rotten”), from σήψ (sḗps, “a kind of lizard; also a kind of serpent whose bite was alleged to cause putrefaction”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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