Ascite
/əˈsaɪt/noun
An obsolete medical term for ascites, the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Did you know?Ascite ultimately comes from Greek askítēs, derived from askós, “wineskin” or “leather bag,” because the swollen abdomen was imagined as a fluid-filled pouch.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
askós
“A leather bag or wineskin”
Ancient Greek
Greek
askítēs
“Like a wineskin; referring to a bag-like swelling”
Late Antiquity
Greek
askítēs
“Dropsy or fluid-filled abdominal swelling”
Classical Latin
Latin
ascites
“Abdominal dropsy”
Middle English
English
ascite
“A medical term for abdominal dropsy”
Modern English
English
ascite
“An obsolete variant of ascites”