hydrocele

H4Y4D2R1O1C3E1L1E1
/ˈhaɪdɹəsiːl/

noun

An abnormal build-up of fluids at a site in the body, especially in the membranes around a testicle.

OriginFrench hydrocèle ← Latin hydrocēlē ← Ancient Greek ὑδροκήλη →
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Meanings

nounhydrocele (plural hydroceles)

plural hydroceles

  1. An abnormal build-up of fluids at a site in the body, especially in the membranes around a testicle.

    For while he refers to his gout (a good disease), he does not mention the complaint which indirectly killed him, his hydrocele – an enlargement of the scrotum.

    2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason, Penguin, published 2004, page 205

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὑδροκήλη
  2. Latinhydrocēlē
  3. Frenchhydrocèle
  4. Englishhydrocele

From French hydrocèle or Latin hydrocēlē, from Ancient Greek ὑδροκήλη (hudrokḗlē), from ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”) + κήλη (kḗlē, “tumour”).

More words from French, Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic قِيلَة مَائِيَّة
  • قِيلَة مَائِيَّةhydrocele
Czech vodní kýla
  • vodní kýlahydrocele
German Wasserbruch
  • Wasserbruchhydrocele
Latin hydrocēlē
  • hydrocēlēhydrocele
Cite this entry
APA

hydrocele. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrocele

MLA

“hydrocele.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrocele. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hydrocele,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrocele.

Source: hydrocele on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.