cyst

¹

[ sist ]

noun

1. Pathology. a closed, bladderlike sac formed in animal tissues, containing fluid or semifluid matter.
2. a bladder, sac, or vesicle.
3. Botany, Mycology.
   1. a sporelike cell with a resistant, protective wall.
   2. a cell or cavity enclosing reproductive bodies.
4. Zoology.
   1. a sac, usually spherical, surrounding an animal that has passed into a dormant condition.
   2. such a sac plus the contained animal.
   3. a capsule or resistant covering.

cyst-

²

1. variant of cysto-, before a vowel:

   cystectomy.

-cyst

³

1. variant of cysto-, as final element in a compound word:

   statocyst.

-cyst

¹

combining form

1. indicating a bladder or sac

   otocyst

cyst

²

/ sɪst /

noun

1. pathol any abnormal membranous sac or blisterlike pouch containing fluid or semisolid material
2. anatomy any normal sac or vesicle in the body
3. a thick-walled protective membrane enclosing a cell, larva, or organism

cyst

/ sĭst /

1. An abnormal membranous sac in the body, containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance.
2. A small, capsulelike form of certain organisms that develops in response to adverse or extreme conditions. Under adverse conditions, for instance, dinoflagellates form nonmotile resting cysts that fall to the ocean or lake bottom and can remain there for years before reviving. Certain invertebrates, such as the water bear (phylum Tardigrada), also develop cysts.

cyst

1. An abnormal saclike structure that develops in the body and is filled with fluid or semisolid material.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyst¹

First recorded in 1705–15; from New Latin cystis, from Greek kýstis “bag, pouch, bladder”; akin to kŷma cyma

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyst¹

from Greek kustis bladder

Origin of cyst²

C18: from New Latin cystis, from Greek kustis pouch, bag, bladder

Example Sentences

The most common problems include chronic headaches, difficulty swallowing and decreased muscle strength, as well as syringomyelia, a condition that occurs when a cyst forms in the spinal cord.

From Science Daily

"But it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare - three in a million."

From BBC

The 57-year-old previously posted a video on Instagram, to say she had been diagnosed with a type of benign tumour called a colloid cyst.

From BBC

The TV presenter posted a video on Instagram to say she had been diagnosed with a rare type of benign tumour called a colloid cyst.

From BBC

She was diagnosed with a cyst on her brain and was prescribed anxiety medication.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blister
• sac
• sore

Words That Use -cyst

What does -cyst mean?

The combining form -cyst is used like a suffix meaning “cyst,” which is a scientific term for a bladder, sac, or vesicle. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form -cyst comes from Greek kýstis, meaning “bag,” “pouch,” or “bladder.”

What are variants of -cyst?

When used as a prefix, the combining form -cyst variously becomes cyst-, cysti-, or cysto- (as in cystoma). Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for these forms.

Examples of -cyst

An example of a scientific term that features the form -cyst is macrocyst, “a large cyst or spore case.”

The form macro- may look familiar; it means “large,” from Greek makrós. As we have seen, -cyst means “cyst.” Macrocyst literally translates to “large cyst.”

What are some words that use the combining form -cyst?

• blastocyst
• heterocyst
• oocyst
• otocyst
• sporocyst
• trichocyst

What are some other forms that -cyst may be commonly confused with?

• -cy
• -cyte
• -sis

Break it down!

The combining form tricho- means “hair.” With this in mind, what is a trichocyst?