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Glite Dictionary
distension

distension

1 8.9
A swelling or stretching of a part of the body, often the belly, caused by gas
  • noun
  • /dɪˈstɛnʃən/
  • UK
translation icon : distensión
  • After the meal, he experienced uncomfortable distension in his stomach.

And it has many sensors so it knows exactly what's going on inside the gut, what goes on in the wall, the gut, any distension, any chemicals.

Examples

  • Abdominal examination looked for distension and abdominal fecal masses.

    Academic text (2000)

  • If it's successful, the distension in her stomach would be reduced and we could end the tubal feeding.

    Miracles from Heaven (2016)

  • I inspected the cans and found no evidence of bulging or distension.

    Blog text (10)

  • Chronic severe diarrhoea; significant vomiting; significant distension; signs of shock.

    Academic text (2014)

  • So abdominal pain, gas and bloating, distension, diarrhoea and in some cases even Constipation.

  • Anyone presenting with a 6-month history of abdominal pain, distension, bloating, or a change in bowel habit should be assessed for IBS.

    Academic text (2012)

  • The doctor noted significant distension in her abdomen during the examination.

  • The nurse monitored the patient's distension to assess the severity of her condition.

Synonyms

distention
vsdistension
  • Specialized
2 7.9

A swelling of a body part caused by pressure inside

has identical meaning but is spelled differently
bulging
vsdistension
2 3.6

Sticking out in a rounded shape because something inside pushes

covers general expansion or stretch not limited to a curved shape
dilatation
vsdistension
  • Specialized
1 8.7

A widening of a body part, for example the pupil in the eye or the cervix during labour

refers to expansion or stretching rather than creating an open passage
intumescence
vsdistension
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A swelling of a body part caused by too much fluid or blood

is broader, not limited to cases caused by fluid accumulation
engorgement
vsdistension
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A body part that is filled with blood or fluid and looks swollen

can mean expansion without the abnormal filling or blood focus
tumidity
vsdistension
  • Specialized
9.9

A slight swelling of a part of the body

covers general expansion or stretch rather than only slight swelling
tumidness
vsdistension
  • Specialized
9.9

A swelling in a part of the body, often after injury or infection

emphasizes stretching or expansion as well as simple swollen state
swellness
vsdistension
8.8

A part of the body that is larger than normal

focuses more on the process of stretching or expanding rather than quality
tumefaction
vsdistension
  • Specialized
9.9

A swelling of a part of the body that has extra fluid

is more general, applying to expansion whether fluid is present or not

Antonyms

contraction
34 4.4

A process of becoming smaller in size or amount

How Swollen

bloating
4 3.7
distension
  • UK
1 8.9
swelling
3 3.7
bulge
42 3.2

Surface Forms

distension singular
distensions plural

Morphology

distension = distend (transparent) = distend + sion

Standard nominalization: the noun denotes the state/process of being distended and is directly derived from the verb 'distend'.

Etymology

Distension comes from the Latin parts dis- 'apart' and tendere 'to stretch', the same root as in tension. So a distension is when something is stretched out or swollen, like a balloon or a swollen belly.