septic

adjective

sep·​tic ˈsep-tik 

1

: of, relating to, or causing putrefaction

2

: relating to, involving, caused by, or affected with sepsis

septic patients

3

: used for sewage treatment and disposal

a septic system

also : of or relating to a septic system

septic effluents

Examples of septic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The California Highway Patrol said the driver of the septic truck was taken to the hospital with major injuries. —Brandon Downs, CBS News, 12 June 2026

The Michigan City Septic Elimination Project will receive $746,868 to eliminate the risk of failing septic systems that drain into public waterways. —Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

As The Guardian reported back in 2021, the majority of homes in New York's Suffolk County rely on individual septic systems, and the town of Southampton has never built a centralized sewage network. —Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 30 May 2026

Because of this, a patient with pneumonia is often already technically septic by definition. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin septicus, from Greek sēptikos, from sēpein to putrefy

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing septic

• go septic
• septic shock
• septic sore throat
• septic tank

Rhymes for septic

• peptic
• sceptic
• skeptic
• antiepileptic
• antiseptic
• epileptic
• neuroleptic
• aseptic
• dyspeptic
• organoleptic

Medical Definition

septic

adjective

sep·​tic ˈsep-tik 

1

: putrefactive

2

: relating to, involving, caused by, or affected with sepsis

septic complications

septic arthritis

septic patients