SEPTIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does septic mean? 

• SEPTIC (adjective)
  The adjective SEPTIC has 2 senses:

1. containing or resulting from disease-causing organisms

2. of or relating to or caused by putrefaction

  Familiarity information: SEPTIC used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SEPTIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Containing or resulting from disease-causing organisms

Synonyms:

infected; septic

Context example:

septic sewage

Similar:

abscessed (infected and filled with pus)

dirty; pestiferous (contaminated with infecting organisms)

contaminative (making impure by contact or mixing)

purulent; pussy (containing pus)

infectious; infective (caused by infection or capable of causing infection)

putrefacient; putrefactive (causing or promoting bacterial putrefaction)

septicemic (characteristic of septicemia)

Also:

unhealthful (detrimental to good health)

germy (full of germs or pathological microorganisms)

Antonym:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

Derivation:

sepsis (the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of or relating to or caused by putrefaction

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

the septic action occurs at the bottom of the septic tank

Pertainym:

decomposition ((biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action)

Derivation:

sepsis (the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues)

 Context examples 

The activities of IL-1 include induction of fever, expression of vascular adhesion molecules, and roles in arthritis and septic shock.

(IL1R Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A. bernardiae has only been found in humans, and is associated with urinary tract infections and septic arthritis.

(Arcanobacterium bernardiae, NCI Thesaurus)

It may have expectorant and anti-septic actions.

(Chickweed Tincture, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in apoptosis, inflammation, septic shock, and wound healing.

(CASP1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

M. lacunata is a commensal organism of the human upper respiratory tract and most commonly associated with eye infections, but has been reported to cause rare invasive infections in humans, including endocarditis, septic arthritis, cellulitis, meningitis, bacteremia and purulent pericarditis.

(Moraxella lacunata, NCI Thesaurus)

We were at a particularly tipsy table. That was my fault—Gatsby had been called to the phone and I'd enjoyed these same people only two weeks before. But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)