sepsis
noun
- life-threatening organ dysfunction triggered by infection
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈsɛpsɪs/
noun
Etymology: From Ancient Greek σῆψις (sêpsis, “putrefaction”), from σήπω (sḗpō, “to make rotten”), from σήψ (sḗps, “a kind of lizard; also a kind of serpent whose bite was alleged to cause putrefaction”).
- A serious medical condition in which the whole body is inflamed, causing injury to its own tissues and organs as a response to infection.
“Imagine the sepsis of helpless loathing [Jimmy Connors] must have inspired in his opponents during his "great runs" at the US Open.”