dropsy

noun drop·sy \ ˈdräp-sē \

Definition of dropsy

: edema

Recent Examples of dropsy from the Web

Instead, Williamson had a bad case of the dropsies and played just three seasons in Minnesota.

— jim reineking, USA TODAY, "Every team's most agonizing NFL draft pick in last 20 years," 25 Apr. 2018
The hope is Brown and Crabtree can recapture their 2015 form, when Brown hadn’t yet been bitten by the injury bug and Crabtree hadn’t yet been infected with the dropsies.

— andy benoit, SI.com, "Eric Reid Is Still a Free Agent. He Shouldn’t Be," 21 Mar. 2018
Jackson, who survived diseases like smallpox, malaria, dysentery, rheumatism and dropsy and endured physical disability most of his adult life after being shot in the chest during a duel, was just shy of Mr. Trump in stature, standing 6-foot-1.

— peter baker, New York Times, "Jackson and Trump: How Two Populist Presidents Compare," 15 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dropsy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of dropsy

Middle English dropesie, short for ydropesie, from Anglo-French, from Latin hydropisis, modification of Greek hydrōps, from hydōr water — more at water

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year