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Glite Dictionary
Widal's test

Widal's test

7.2
A blood test that finds antibodies to Salmonella to detect typhoid fever
  • noun
  • /ˈwaɪdəlz tɛst/
  • Specialized
: prueba de Widal
  • The doctor ordered a Widal's test to confirm the diagnosis of typhoid fever.

Examples

  • In areas where typhoid is common, the Widal's test is frequently used for screening purposes.

  • A positive Widal's test indicates the presence of Salmonella antibodies in the blood.

  • The doctor ordered a Widal's test for the patient.

  • Have you ever had Widal's test done?

  • A positive Widal's test indicates the presence of Salmonella antibodies in the blood.

  • In areas where typhoid is common, the Widal's test is frequently used for screening purposes.

  • The doctor ordered a Widal's test to confirm the diagnosis of typhoid fever.

Synonyms

Widal test
vsWidal's test
  • Specialized
6.4

A blood test that checks for antibodies to the bacteria that cause typhoid fever

has identical meaning but uses a possessive written form

Surface Forms

Widal's test singular
Widal's tests plural

Morphology

Widal's + test

The element 'Widal's' is an eponym/proper name with no lexical meaning a B1 learner could combine with the known word 'test' to infer a specific diagnostic purpose. Because the expression names a particular medical assay (for typhoid/Salmonella) rather than describing its function compositionally, the meaning is not derivable from the parts and requires specialist or cultural knowledge.

Etymology

Widal's test is named after a French doctor, Widal, who in the late 1800s used a blood test to look for signs of typhoid. That's why Widal's test today means a blood test doctors use to detect 'typhoid' and similar infections.