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Glite Dictionary
inguinal hernia

inguinal hernia

1 6.5
A bulge in the groin where part of the intestine pushes through the lower belly wall, often in men
  • noun
  • /ˈɪŋɡwɪnəl ˈhɜrniə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hernia inguinal
  • Abdominal hernias for no real reason, inguinal hernias for no real reason, or just abdominal or flank pain.
  • inguinal hernia repair

Abdominal hernias for no real reason, inguinal hernias for no real reason, or just abdominal or flank pain.

Examples

  • Doctors often recommend surgery to repair an inguinal hernia that causes pain or discomfort.

  • I had to patch up (literally) an inguinal hernia on the right side.

    Blog text (19)

  • I do have to add that without WebMD I don't know how long it would have taken for me to figure out my 2-month-old had an inguinal hernia... so you never know.

    Blog text (30)

  • An inguinal hernia occurs when a part of the intestine pushes through the abdominal wall in the groin area.

  • After his diagnosis, he learned about the symptoms associated with an inguinal hernia and the importance of seeking treatment.

Synonyms

hernia
vsinguinal hernia
  • Specialized
42 5.6

A lump in the body where an organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle

is limited to intestinal loops entering a groin passage and mainly affects males
herniation
vsinguinal hernia
  • Specialized
2 8.1

Part of an organ or tissue pushes through a tear in the surrounding muscle

is limited to intestinal loops entering a groin passage rather than any protrusion

How Severe

strangulation
  • Specialized
1 8.0
inguinal hernia
  • Specialized
1 6.5
hernia
  • Specialized
42 5.6

Surface Forms

inguinal hernia singular
inguinal hernias plural

Morphology

inguinal + hernia

The meaning 'a hernia in the groin region' is directly and transparently derived from 'inguinal' (related to the groin) combined with 'hernia' (a tissue bulge through muscle). This is a straightforward adjective+noun medical label and parallels similar constructions across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Inguinal hernia: The medical name inguinal hernia combines hernia, a word for something that 'pushes out', and inguinal, which points to the groin. Imagine a small loop of intestine that 'pushes through' a weak spot and makes a soft 'bulge' near the groin, so inguinal hernia means a bulge of intestine in the groin that often needs medical repair.