English Reference
noun

inflammation

n.
US /ˌɪnfɫəˈmeɪʃən/ UK /ɪnflæmˈeɪʃən/ in·flam·ma·tion UK spelling inflammations

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    a condition where part of your body gets red, hot, and swollen because it is fighting an injury or illness.

    a localized protective response to tissue injury or infection, characterized by pain, heat, redness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function.

    Simple

    The doctor gave her some cream to reduce the inflammation in her knee.

    In context

    Chronic inflammation can lead to a variety of long-term health issues if the underlying cause of the immune response is not addressed.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency ArchaicLiterary

    a state of being very angry or excited.

    a state of intense emotional excitement or violent passion.

    Simple

    The speaker's words caused a great inflammation of public feeling.

    In context

    The orator's rhetoric served only to increase the inflammation of the crowd, leading to a night of civil unrest.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Archaic

    the act of starting a fire or setting something on fire.

    the act of setting something on fire or the process of catching fire.

    Simple

    The sudden inflammation of the dry grass surprised the campers.

    In context

    The rapid inflammation of the wooden structures made it impossible for the villagers to save the granary.

    ignitionkindlingconflagration

Many of these genes help control blood pressure, calm inflammation and manage the way the body processes sugar, all of which play an important role in long-term heart health .

ScienceDaily· 13 Aug 2026

As inflammation subsides, a coordinated repair process begins.

Smithsonian Magazine· 24 Jun 2026

From Middle French inflammation, from Latin īnflammātiō, equivalent to inflame + -ation.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin inflammatio
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated