Standard Lemma guide

empyema

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɛm.pʌɪˈiː.mə/
  • General-American: /ɛm.paɪˈiː.mə/
  • rhymes with -iːmə

1

noun

Meaning 1

A collection of pus within a naturally existing anatomical cavity (as opposed to an abscess, which occurs in a newly formed cavity).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a collection of pus in a body cavity (especially in the lung cavity)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inflammatory disease

Narrower terms: purulent pleurisy

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐμπύημα (empúēma, “gathering, abscess”).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: empiema — collection of pus
  • Chinese: 積膿 /积脓 — collection of pus
  • Dutch: empyeem — collection of pus
  • Estonian: empüeem — collection of pus
  • Finnish: empyeema — collection of pus
  • French: empyème — collection of pus
  • German: Empyem — collection of pus
  • Greek: εμπύημα (empýima) — collection of pus
  • Ancient Greek: ἐμπύημα (empúēma) — collection of pus
  • Italian: empiema — collection of pus
  • Japanese: 蓄膿症 — collection of pus
  • Polish: ropniak — collection of pus
  • Portuguese: empiema — collection of pus
  • Spanish: empiema — collection of pus
  • Swedish: empyem — collection of pus
  • Turkish: ampiyem — collection of pus