gas gangrene
- noun
- /ɡæs ˈɡæŋɡriːn/
- Specialized
:
gangrena gaseosa
- Doctors knew that gas gangrene could develop quickly after traumatic wounds if not treated immediately.
- cause gas gangrene
Examples
-
By the end of the second, she had found Clostridium tetani in three soil samples, all from the same place and time, and two samples from another area had each yielded a different species capable of causing gas gangrene.
Fiction book (2000) -
During World War I, many soldiers suffered severe injuries that often led to gas gangrene, a dangerous bacterial infection.
-
The patient's condition worsened rapidly due to gas gangrene, highlighting the importance of timely medical intervention.
Synonyms
16
8.7
Dead tissue caused by infection or loss of blood
A severe infection by bacteria that quickly kills muscle, makes gas, and often causes death
A severe infection that kills body tissue and produces gas, usually caused by bacteria
A fast, often deadly infection caused by bacteria that kills body tissue and makes gas in the wound
A severe infection that makes body tissue die quickly, produces gas, and can be fatal
An infection caused by bacteria that quickly destroys soft tissue and makes gas in it
A serious fast-spreading infection caused by bacteria that makes gas in body tissues and can kill people
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase names a subtype of gangrene characterized by the presence/production of gas, so its meaning is directly derivable from 'gas' (gaseous substance) + 'gangrene' (tissue death). This is a straightforward attributive noun compound used in medical terminology and mirrors equivalent constructions in other languages, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
Gas gangrene is a medical name that shows a simple picture: bacteria in a wound produce gas that makes bubbles under the skin while the tissue becomes gangrene, or 'dead tissue'. That's why gas gangrene means a fast, severe 'infection' that destroys tissue and needs quick treatment.