inflammation
UK[ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃn]US[ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃn]
n
A condition in which a part of the body becomes red, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
n
The action of setting on fire or catching fire; the state of being aflame.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
flamm
ation
in
in, into
flamm
flame
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'inflammation' traces its lineage directly to Latin. It originates from the verb inflammare, which is a compound of the prefix in- (meaning "in, into") and the root flammare (meaning "to set on fire"). The literal meaning was "to cause to burst into flames." This vivid imagery was adopted into medical terminology in English by the late 14th century to describe the localized heat, redness, and swelling that characterizes the body's response to injury or infection, metaphorically seen as a "fire" within the tissues. The abstract noun form, inflammatio, passed through Old French before entering Middle English, solidifying the conceptual link between physical burning and a pathological bodily process.
Analysis
Structure: in (in, into) + flamm (flame) + ation (noun suffix)
- in: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "in, into, on."
- flamm: Latin origin, from the root flamma, meaning "flame, blaze."
- ation: Latin-derived suffix (-ationem), used to form nouns indicating an action or process, or its result.
Examples
The doctor prescribed a cream to reduce the inflammation around the wound.
Chronic inflammation is believed to be a factor in many diseases.
The inflammation of the public's passions led to widespread protest.