Word
lesion
Phoneticsle·sion, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫiʒən/
UK/lˈiːʒən/
Definitions
01medical damage
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Technical
n. an area of the body, such as the skin or an organ, that has been damaged by a disease or an injury.
n. a localized area of diseased or damaged tissue, such as a wound, ulcer, or tumor. Often used as a general term in clinical diagnosis before a specific cause is identified.
Español:lesión
“The doctor examined the small red lesion on the patient's arm to see if it was an infection.”
“The MRI scan revealed a small lesion in the left hemisphere of the brain, which explained the patient's sudden loss of motor coordination.”
Usage
Commonly used with adjectives like 'skin', 'brain', 'benign', or 'malignant'.
02legal imbalance
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a situation where a contract is so unfair that one person loses a lot of money.
n. the injury or harm suffered by a party to a contract who does not receive the equivalent of what they give, potentially allowing the contract to be cancelled.
“The lawyer argued that the sale of the house was a case of lesion because the price was far too low.”
“Under certain civil law jurisdictions, a contract may be rescinded on the grounds of lesion if the price paid is less than half the fair market value.”
Teaching tip
This sense is rare outside of specific legal systems like those in France, Quebec, or Louisiana.
03to cause damage
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
v. to damage a specific part of a body, usually during a scientific experiment.
v. to intentionally create a lesion in an organ or tissue, typically for the purpose of scientific research or medical treatment.
“Scientists lesioned a small part of the bird's brain to study how it learned songs.”
“The researchers lesioned specific neural pathways in the laboratory mice to observe the resulting changes in social behavior.”
Usage
This verb is transitive and almost exclusively used in academic or laboratory contexts.
Real-World Examples
“What began as an effort to explain black lesions on a common catfish may help us better understand cancer, evolution and infectious disease in all animals, including ourselves.” “Using microscopes, 3D scans and tissue-loss measurements, we documented even the smallest lesions.” Etymology
From Middle English lesioun, from Old French lesion, from Latin laesiō (“injury”), itself from laesus, perfect passive participle of laedō (“I injure, hurt”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/lesion
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0