lymphatic

1 of 2

adjective

lym·phat·ic lim-ˈfa-tik

: of, relating to, or produced by lymph, lymphoid tissue, or lymphocytes

: conveying lymph

: lacking physical or mental energy : sluggish

lymphatically

lim-ˈfa-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

lymphatic

2 of 2

noun

: a vessel that contains or conveys lymph

called also lymph vessel

Did you know?

Lymph is a pale liquid in the body that helps maintain fluid balance and removes bacteria from tissues. Today, we understand that lymph plays an important role in the body's immune system. In the past, however, it was commonly believed that an excess of lymph caused sluggishness—hence the "sluggish" meaning of lymphatic. The word lymph comes from Latin lympha (meaning "water" or "water goddess"), which itself may be a modification of the Greek word nymphē, meaning "nymph." Both lymph and its related adjective lymphatic have been used in English since the 17th century.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This circuit also promotes lymphatic flow and removes toxins, in addition to other benefits. —

Dale Arden Chong, ELLE, 16 Dec. 2022 Said bluntly: Is lymphatic drainage going to reverse the clock? —

Carly Cardellino, Harper's BAZAAR, 27 Mar. 2023 Mosquitoes carry many threatening diseases, like chikungunya, dengue, lymphatic filariasis, Rift Valley fever, Yellow fever, Zika, malaria, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile fever, WHO reports. —

Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2023 But the foundation of Smith’s knowledge and intuition come about from working with the non-models among us, and through training and protocol development with brands like Cle de Peau (specifically their lymphatic drainage skin care range, Synactif), Blue Mercury, and SpaceNK, among others. —

Katie Becker, Vogue, 6 June 2022 Manufacturers claim that these devices accelerate recovery and muscle repair, improve blood and lymphatic flow, and relieve stiffness when regularly used before and after exercise. —

Brian Cole, Outside Online, 16 Aug. 2020 That’s because lymphatic vessels, which transport immune cells throughout the body, stopped at the upper neck. —

Teal Burrell, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2015 The chilled Rose Quartz Gua Sha encourages circulation and lymphatic drainage — both of which help to maintain youthful skin and promote relaxation. —

Olivia O'bryon, Forbes, 10 July 2022 There are definitely aspects of lymphatic massage and facial exercises that are simple enough to incorporate into a daily routine that could have a long-term impact. —

Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2023

Noun

At-home lymphatic, gua sha, and LED light massages have also been beneficial in keeping cellulite and loose skin at bay. —

Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021 Your lymphatics that control your immune system have no muscle in their walls. —

CBS News, 8 Apr. 2020 In 2012, research in the laboratory of Maiken Nedergaard, a neuroscientist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, identified what appears to be the brain’s waste clearance pathway, the glymphatic (glial-lymphatic) system. —

Quanta Magazine, 16 Dec. 2019 But Ryan Petrie, a cell biologist at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the study, thinks Lee’s lymphatics-on-a-chip model has promise for understanding the mechanism of integrin alpha-5 in lymphedema. —

Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, 13 Dec. 2019 The scientists anxiously examined the fish for evidence that the chaotic lymphatic vessel proliferation had stopped but that nothing else had been harmed. —

STAT, 1 July 2019 Scraping off your dead stratum corneum cells has no effect on your lymphatics or digestive system. —

Lori Keong, Marie Claire, 18 Sep. 2017 Nedergaard and Helene Benveniste, a scientist at Yale University, have found evidence linking problems in the lymphatic and glymphatic systems to Alzheimer’s. —

David Kohn, Washington Post, 21 May 2017 Ducks’ erections are driven by lymphatic, not vascular, pressure, which means that their penises never become stiff. —

Richard O. Prum, The New Yorker, 17 May 2017 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lymphatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of lymphatic was in 1649

See more words from the same year

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Dictionary Entries Near lymphatic

lymphangitis ulcerosa

lymphatic

lymphatic system

See More Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lymphatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lymphatic. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

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Kids Definition

lymphatic

1 of 2 adjective

lym·phat·ic lim-ˈfat-ik

: of, relating to, or produced by lymph

: lacking physical or mental energy

lymphatic

2 of 2 noun

: a vessel that contains or transports lymph

called also lymph vessel

Medical Definition

lymphatic

1 of 2 adjective

lym·phat·ic lim-ˈfat-ik

: of, relating to, or produced by lymph, lymphoid tissue, or lymphocytes

lymphatic nodules

lymphatic infiltration

: conveying lymph

a lymphatic channel

: lacking physical or mental energy

lymphatically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

lymphatic

2 of 2 noun

: a vessel that contains or conveys lymph, that originates as an interfibrillar or intercellular cleft or space in a tissue or organ, and that if small has no distinct walls or walls composed only of endothelial cells and if large resembles a vein in structure

called also lymphatic vessel, lymph vessel

see thoracic duct