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aneurysm

American  
[an-yuh-riz-uhm] / ˈæn yəˌrɪz əm /
Or aneurism

noun

Pathology.
  1. a permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wall.


aneurysm British  
/ ˈænjəˌrɪzəm /

noun

  1. a sac formed by abnormal dilation of the weakened wall of a blood vessel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

aneurysm Scientific  
/ ănyə-rĭz′əm /
  1. A localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel or cardiac chamber caused by disease, such as arteriosclerosis, or weakening of the vessel or chamber wall. A ruptured aneurysm results in hemorrhage and is often fatal.


Other Word Forms

  • aneurismal adjective
  • aneurismally adverb
  • aneurysmal adjective
  • aneurysmally adverb

Etymology

Origin of aneurysm

First recorded in 1650–60; from Greek aneúrysma “dilation,” equivalent to aneurys- (variant stem of aneurýnein “to dilate,” from an- an- 3 + eurýnein “to widen, broaden”; eury- ) + -ma, noun suffix