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REFERENCE

generalized

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdʒɛnɝəˌɫaɪzd// gen·er·al·ized

adj. affecting the whole body or a large area rather than just one small part.

adj. affecting the entire body or a whole system rather than being localized to a specific organ or site. Often used in clinical contexts to describe symptoms like pain or seizures.


SIMPLE

The patient complained of generalized muscle aches.

CONTEXTUAL

While some rashes appear only on the arms, this particular infection causes a generalized breakout across the torso and legs.

COMPLEX

The physician noted that the patient was experiencing generalized fatigue, which made it difficult to pinpoint a single underlying cause without further blood work and diagnostic imaging.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun in medical or scientific contexts.

Pitfall

The pain was general.The pain was generalized.In a medical context, 'generalized' is the specific term for symptoms spread across the body, whereas 'general' is too vague.

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