Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
axillary cavity

axillary cavity

6.4
The hollow under the arm near the shoulder, often called the armpit
  • noun
  • /ˈæksɪˌlɛri ˈkævɪti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cavidad axilar
  • The doctor carefully examined the patient's axillary cavity for signs of swelling.

Examples

  • Excessive sweating in the axillary cavity can sometimes cause skin irritation.

  • During the procedure, the surgeon made an incision near the axillary cavity.

  • The axillary cavity is crucial for lymphatic function.

  • What is the purpose of the axillary cavity?

  • The doctor carefully examined the patient's axillary cavity for signs of swelling.

  • Excessive sweating in the axillary cavity can sometimes cause skin irritation.

  • During the procedure, the surgeon made an incision near the axillary cavity.

Synonyms

armpit
vsaxillary cavity
73 1.0

The hollow under the arm near the shoulder

is a medical label rather than casual or informal talk
underarm
vsaxillary cavity
  • UK
5 1.0

The area under the arm where it meets the shoulder

is the medical form used mainly in clinical contexts
axilla
vsaxillary cavity
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A hollow area under the arm where it meets the shoulder

is the medical term for that hollow rather than informal speech
axillary fossa
vsaxillary cavity
  • Specialized
7.3

A hollow area under the arm near the shoulder

is the same medical expression but with different wording

Surface Forms

axillary cavity singular
axillary cavities plural

Morphology

axillary + cavity

The meaning is directly compositional: 'axillary' specifies the armpit area and 'cavity' means a hollow, so together they denote the hollow under the arm (armpit). Although the term is medical/technical, its meaning follows regular English word-formation and is cross-linguistically comparable, so a learner who knows the constituents should infer the sense.

Etymology

Axillary cavity The term axillary cavity comes from the Latin word 'axilla' meaning 'armpit', and its parts axillary and cavity mean 'armpit' and 'hollow space'. It gives an easy image of the hollow under the arm where it meets the shoulder, so in medicine it simply means the 'armpit' area.