purulent

P3U1R1U1L1E1N1T1
/ˈpjʊəɹ(j)ʊlənt//ˈpjʊəɹələnt/

adjective

Consisting of pus.

“purulent inflammation”

Similar
puriformpussysuppurantmatterysepticinfected
OriginMiddle French purulent ← Latin pūrulentus →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

adjectivepurulent (comparative more purulent, superlative most purulent)

comparative more purulent · superlative most purulent

  1. medicineConsisting of pus.

    Near-synonym: puriform

    1 more example

    It is allowed, that Senates and great Councils are often troubled with redundant, ebullient, and other peccant Humours, with many Diſeaſes of the Head and more of the Heart; with ſtrong Convulſions, with grievous Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews in both Hands, but eſpecially the Right; with Spleen, Flatus, Vertigos and Deliriums; with Scrophulous Tumors full of fœtid purulent Matter; with ſower frothy Ructations, with Canine Appetites and Crudeneſs of Digeſtion, beſides many others needleſs to mention.

    1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Further Account of the Academy. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 82

    Synonyms: puriform

  2. medicineLeaking or seeping pus.

    purulent inflammation

    1 more example

    Close-up of two rats gnawing at a mutton bone, of the flies on the purulent eyelids of a small girl.

    1948 August, Aldous Huxley, Ape and Essence, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC

    Synonyms: pussy, suppurant, mattery

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveConsisting of pus.

Similar
puriform

adjectiveLeaking or seeping pus.

Similar
pussysuppurantmattery

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivecontaining pus

Similar
pussysepticinfected
Also see
infectedpuriformpussysepticsuppurant

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinpūrulentus
  2. Middle Frenchpurulent
  3. Englishpurulent

Borrowed from Middle French purulent, from Latin pūrulentus, from pūs (“pus”).

More words from Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian гноен, гноясал
  • гноен (gnoen)consisting of pus
  • гноясал (gnojasal)leaking or seeping pus
Catalan purulent
  • purulentconsisting of pus
Dutch etterend, etterig
  • etterendconsisting of pus
  • etterigconsisting of pus
  • purulentconsisting of pus
Finnish märkivä, märkäinen
  • märkiväconsisting of pus
  • märkäinenconsisting of pus
  • märkiväleaking or seeping pus
French purulent
  • purulentconsisting of pus
German eiterig, Eiter-
  • eiterigconsisting of pus
  • Eiter-consisting of pus
Greek πυώδης, πυώδης
  • πυώδης (pyódis)consisting of pus
  • πυώδης (pyódis)leaking or seeping pus
Hungarian gennyes, gennyedző
  • gennyesconsisting of pus
  • gennyedzőleaking or seeping pus
Indonesian purulen, purulen
  • purulenconsisting of pus
  • purulenleaking or seeping pus
Irish angaíoch, angúil
  • angaíochconsisting of pus
  • angúilconsisting of pus
Italian purulento, purulento
  • purulentoconsisting of pus
  • purulentoleaking or seeping pus
Māori taemataku, taemataku
  • taematakuconsisting of pus
  • taematakuleaking or seeping pus
Polish ropny
  • ropnyconsisting of pus
Portuguese purulento
  • purulentoconsisting of pus
Russian гно́йный
  • гно́йный (gnójnyj)consisting of pus
Spanish purulento
  • purulentoconsisting of pus
Ukrainian гнійни́й, гнійни́й
  • гнійни́й (hnijnýj)consisting of pus
  • гнійни́й (hnijnýj)leaking or seeping pus
Cite this entry
APA

purulent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purulent

MLA

“purulent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purulent. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “purulent,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purulent.

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