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Glite Dictionary
crepitant

crepitant

1 9.9
Making a crackling or rattling sound in the lungs, for example in joints
  • adjective
  • /ˈkrɛpɪtənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : crepitante
  • The crepitant noise of the patient's joints suggested arthritis, prompting further investigation.

Examples

  • During the medical examination, the doctor noted that the patient's lungs were crepitant, indicating possible fluid buildup.

  • The oropharynx was normal, but the right buccal mucosa bulged and was crepitant.

    Academic text (2006)

  • As the athlete moved, a crepitant sound emanated from his knees, raising concern about an injury.

Synonyms

crumply
vscrepitant
7.6

Making a soft crunching sound when pressed or walked on

is heard internally in lungs or joints during medical examination
rattly
vscrepitant
3.5

A short repeated noise when small parts move, for example in old cars

comes from internal tissue rather than loose mechanical parts

How Crackling

rattling
46 4.0
crepitant
  • Specialized
1 9.9
rustling
31 3.4
silent
257 1.0

Surface Forms

crepitant positive

Morphology

crepitant = crepitate (semi-transparent) = crepit + ant

The adjective is formed from the verb 'crepitate' with the productive '-ant' adjective ending, but both the verb and the suffix are rare and mainly medical, so the relation may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Crepitant comes from the Latin verb crepitare, which means 'to crackle'. Think of the English word crackle: a crepitant sound is a crackling or rattling noise that a doctor may hear in the lungs or feel in a joint during an exam.