INTUMESCENCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does intumescence mean? 

• INTUMESCENCE (noun)
  The noun INTUMESCENCE has 2 senses:

1. swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion)

2. the increase in volume of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water)

  Familiarity information: INTUMESCENCE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTUMESCENCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

intumescence; intumescency

Hypernyms ("intumescence" is a kind of...):

lump; puffiness; swelling (an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "intumescence"):

haematoma; hematoma (a localized swelling filled with blood)

Derivation:

intumesce (expand abnormally)

intumescent (abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The increase in volume of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

intumescence; intumescency; swelling

Hypernyms ("intumescence" is a kind of...):

chemical action; chemical change; chemical process ((chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved)