reflux
Meaning
The backward flow of a liquid, especially of stomach acid into the esophagus or of blood into the heart.
A technique in chemistry where vapor from a boiling mixture is condensed and returned to the system to ensure thorough reaction.
Structure
Usage
Chronic heartburn is often a symptom of acid reflux.
The chemist set up the apparatus for reflux to prevent the loss of solvent.
The valve malfunction caused a dangerous reflux of blood in the vein.
Etymology
The word 'reflux' is a direct borrowing from Late Latin refluxus, itself formed from the Latin prefix re- ("back") and the past participle fluxus ("flowed") of the verb fluere ("to flow"). This Latin verb traces its lineage to the Proto-Indo-European root bhleu-, meaning "to swell, well up, overflow," which is also the source for a stream of English words related to fluidity, such as "fluid," "fluent," and "influence." The literal meaning, "a flowing back," has been precisely retained in modern English, applying to both physiological processes like acid reflux and chemical engineering processes where vapors are condensed and returned to their source.
Analysis
- re: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "again, back, backward." - flux: A root of Latin origin (from fluere, "to flow"), meaning "a flow or discharge."