the reaction of living tissue to injury or infection, characterized by heat, redness, swelling, and pain the act of inflaming or the state of being inflamed
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•flam•ma•tion /ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃən/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Pathologyredness, swelling, and fever in an area of the body, in reaction to an infection or injury: [uncountable]Exposure to chemical weapons may lead to inflammation.[countable]an inflammation in the liver.
in•flam•ma•tion
(in′flə mā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
- Pathologyredness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body, esp. as a reaction of tissues to injurious agents.
- the act or fact of inflaming.
- the state of being inflamed.
- Latin inflammātiōn- (stem of inflammātiō), equivalent. to inflammāt(us) (past participle of inflammāre; see inflame, -ate1) + -iōn- -ion
- 1525–35
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'inflammation' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Bright's disease
- CRP
- Crohn's disease
- abscess
- acne
- actinodermatitis
- adenoiditis
- aerosinusitis
- aerotitis media
- angry
- anti-inflammatory
- antiphlogistic
- aortitis
- appendicitis
- arteritis
- arthritis
- asbestosis
- aspirin
- betamethasone
- blear
- blepharitis
- boil
- brain fever
- bronchitis
- bronchopneumonia
- bubo
- bunion
- bursitis
- canicola fever
- canker
- carbuncle
- carditis
- catarrh
- cellulitis
- cerebritis
- cerebrospinal meningitis
- cervicitis
- cheilitis
- chilblain
- cholecystitis
- choroiditis
- colic
- colitis
- collagen disease
- conjunctivitis
- contact
- contact dermatitis
- coronitis
- coryza
- counterirritant