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Glite Dictionary
tympanitic

tympanitic

9.9
A swollen belly filled with gas that sounds like a drum when a doctor taps it
  • adjective
  • /ˌtɪm.pəˈnɪt.ɪk/
  • Specialized
: timpanítico
  • Severe bloating and a tympanitic abdomen may indicate the presence of intestinal obstruction.

Examples

  • The patient's abdomen was noted to be tympanitic on physical examination.

  • A tympanitic sound was heard when the doctor percussed the swollen belly.

  • The patient exhibited a tympanitic abdomen during the examination.

  • Doctors often check for a tympanitic condition in patients with abdominal pain.

  • The doctor noted a tympanitic abdomen, indicating the buildup of gas in the patient's gastrointestinal tract.

  • When examining her abdomen, the physician detected a tympanitic sound that suggested excessive gas accumulation.

  • Patients with severe gastrointestinal issues often present with a tympanitic abdomen as a key symptom.

Synonyms

flatulent
vstympanitic
  • Specialized
5 7.1

Having a lot of gas in the stomach or intestines

is specific to a drumlike abdominal swelling caused by gas
tumid
vstympanitic
1 9.9

Swollen body part filled with extra fluid or gas

refers specifically to a drumlike abdominal swelling caused by gas

How Distended

tympanitic
  • Specialized
9.9
distended
  • Specialized
10 7.8
rounded
45 2.4
normal
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

tympanitic positive

Morphology

tympanitic = tympanites (semi-transparent) = tympan + itic

Formed from the medical noun 'tympanites' with a regular adjectival suffix, but both elements are technical Greek-based morphemes unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

Tympanitic comes from the Greek root tympan- meaning 'drum', the same idea you see in the word timpani and in words for the 'eardrum'. Doctors call a swollen, gas-filled belly tympanitic when it sounds 'drumlike' to a tap, so the origin explains the medical meaning.