gangrene

¹gan·grene

noun \ˈgaŋ-ˌgrēn, gaŋ-ˈ, ˈgan-ˌ, gan-ˈ\

Definition of GANGRENE

1

: local death of soft tissues due to loss of blood supply

2

: pervasive decay or corruption : rot <moral gangrene>

— gan·gre·nous \ˈgaŋ-grə-nəs\ adjective

Examples of GANGRENE

1. When gangrene set in, the soldier's leg had to be amputated.

Origin of GANGRENE

Latin gangraena, from Greek gangraina; akin to Greek gran to gnaw

First Known Use: 1543

Rhymes with GANGRENE

Andine, arene, baleen, beguine, Benin, benzene, benzine, Bernstein, between, black bean, boreen, bovine, broad bean, buckbean, caffeine, canteen, carbine, careen, chlorine, chopine, chorine, citrine, codeine, colleen, convene, cotquean, cuisine, dasheen, dauphine, demean, demesne, dry-clean, dudeen, eighteen, Essene, e-zine, fanzine, fascine, fifteen, flavine, fluorine, fourteen, gamine, glassine, gyrene, Hellene, hoatzin, horsebean, houseclean, khamsin, Ladin, lateen, latrine, Lublin, machine, malines, marine, moline, moreen, morphine, nankeen, naphthene, Nicene, nineteen, nongreen, obscene, offscreen, on-screen, patine, piscine, poteen, praline, preteen, pristine, propine, Rabin, ratteen, ravine, red bean, routine, saline, saltine, Salween, sardine, sateen, scalene, serene, shagreen, shebeen, siren, Sistine, sixteen, Slovene, snap bean, soybean, spalpeen, string bean, strychnine, subteen, sunscreen, Szczecin, tacrine, takin, taurine, terrene, terrine, thirteen, Tolkien, tontine, tureen, umpteen, unclean, undine, unseen, vaccine, vitrine, wax bean, white bean, windscreen, yestreen, Yibin, zechin

²gangrene

verb

gan·grenedgan·gren·ing

Definition of GANGRENE

transitive verb

: to make gangrenous

intransitive verb

: to become gangrenous

First Known Use of GANGRENE

1607

gangrene

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Localized soft-tissue death (necrosis) from prolonged blood-supply blockage. It can occur in atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, or decubitus ulcer, and after severe burns or frostbite. In dry gangrene, gradual blood-supply decrease turns the part discoloured and cold, then dark and dry. Treatment requires improving blood flow. Moist gangrene comes from a sudden blood-supply cutoff. Bacterial infection causes swelling, discoloration, and then a foul smell. Along with antibiotics, tissue removal may be needed to prevent spread, which can be fatal. A more virulent form, gas gangrene, is named for gas bubbles under the skin produced by a highly lethal toxin from clostridium bacteria. The wound oozes brownish, smelly pus. Infection spreads rapidly, causing death. All dead and diseased tissue must be removed and antibiotics given; an antitoxin can also be used.