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Definition of septic in English:

septic

Pronunciation /ˈseptik/ /ˈsɛptɪk/

See synonyms for septic

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adjective

  • 1Infected with microorganisms, especially harmful bacteria.

    ‘his feet had gone septic’
    • ‘The differential diagnosis of a cavitary lung lesion includes neoplasm, infection, and septic embolus.’
    • ‘Most of the admissions were due to dehydration, gangrene and septic wounds.’
    • ‘Someone who has had his or her spleen removed is thereafter more susceptible to septic infections, and as surgeons have come to accept this they have become less likely to carry out splenectomies.’
    • ‘There were, right from the beginning, crises: a septic infection, an ectopic pregnancy, an alarming lump in one woman's leg.’
    • ‘In patients with chronic septic lung disease, the bronchial arteries are usually enlarged and tortuous and may engulf the pulmonary hila.’
    • ‘Finally, early enteral feeding may reduce septic morbidity after abdominal trauma and pancreatitis.’
    • ‘Many investigators are working to identify markers that will define the immunologic status of the septic patient.’
    • ‘Unfortunately, despite this precaution, the hazards of platelet transfusion still include serious septic reactions.’
    • ‘He developed a further septic inflammation in his knee after the meniscal transplantation and required further revision surgery.’
    • ‘All fatalities occurred outside the hospital, and none of these individuals had a medical history of a septic condition prior to death.’
    • ‘Severe sepsis and septic shock are important causes of death in intensive care units.’
    • ‘We concentrated on publications on the pathogenesis of sepsis and treatment of septic shock.’
    • ‘Patients with a low probability of septic arthritis can be safely observed without aspiration.’
    • ‘The diagnosis of presumed septic arthritis was given to 44 of the 282 children.’
    • ‘Two patients developed sepsis related to catheter infections, and one patient developed septic emboli from a catheter infection.’
    • ‘Hemorrhagic skin lesions are caused by septic emboli.’
    • ‘The most common septic complication was pneumonia resulting from the translocation of gut bacteria directly to an impaired lung.’
    • ‘Comorbidities, laboratory parameters of inflammation, septic complications, and mortality were prospectively assessed.’
    • ‘Other characteristics of septic patients and sepsis origins are shown in Tables 1 and 2.’
    • ‘I've got calluses, cuts that have gone septic, and the skin is falling off.’
    infected, festering, suppurating, pus-filled, putrid, putrefying, putrefactive, purulent, poisoned, diseased
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1Medicine Denoting, relating to, or having sepsis.
      • ‘severely septic patients’

  • 2attributive Denoting a drainage system incorporating a septic tank.

    ‘If you encounter drainfield problems, contact an experienced, licensed septic maintenance company to discuss which of these options will work best for your particular system.’
    • ‘His local septic contractor pumped the system out - twice.’
    • ‘In southern areas such as the Mississippi Delta, the predominant mosquito vector for West Nile virus is Culex quinquefasciatus, which breeds in drainage ditches and septic ponds.’
    • ‘Proving that this was known could be difficult, unless a local septic contractor has records of having serviced the system in recent times.’
    • ‘For a truly reliable evaluation of your septic system, contact a qualified, licensed septic contractor in your area.’
    • ‘The overtaxed sewer system had ruptured, mixing septic water with the thick sludge churned up by the wave.’
    • ‘It's a modern functioning city with reservoirs for water, septic composting, and highways.’
    • ‘If all else fails, many septic pumping companies also have equipment for helping locate your tank.’
    • ‘I accept Mr. Wemyss' evidence that he was indeed concerned about the possible septic problems and that he had no other reason for wanting to abandon the deal.’
    • ‘Older methods of well construction, and the well's location in relation to septic or livestock facilities on many farms, makes older and shallow wells prone to contamination.’

noun

North American

  • A drainage system incorporating a septic tank.

    ‘We had a Boy Scout troop offer their meeting place and the building was fantastic, but where you parked the trucks was right where they have the septics.’
    • ‘If so, the cost of connecting to that system may be more affordable than a new septic.’
    • ‘We don't think it is the septic because we have tried running the water all over and we never get a backup in the tub or just running the water for a long time does not cause the toilet to backup.’

Origin

Early 17th century via Latin from Greek sēptikos, from sēpein ‘make rotten’.