copremia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical / Medical
Quick answer
What does “copremia” mean?
Blood poisoning caused by toxins from faecal matter entering the bloodstream.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Blood poisoning caused by toxins from faecal matter entering the bloodstream.
A condition of systemic toxicity due to intestinal absorption of waste products; severe toxaemia associated with faecal contamination, typically from conditions like intestinal obstruction or perforation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference; term is equally obsolete in both varieties. Spelling convention would typically follow the regional preference for '-emia' (US) vs '-aemia' (UK), but 'copremia' is the standard form in medical Latin.
Connotations
Purely clinical and historical. May evoke a sense of severity and archaic medical practice.
Frequency
Virtually never used in contemporary clinical practice or modern medical literature in either region.
Grammar
How to Use “copremia” in a Sentence
The patient developed copremia.Copremia was a consequence of the bowel perforation.The condition can progress to copremia.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “copremia” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The copremic state was irreversible.
- He presented with copremic symptoms.
American English
- The copremic condition was terminal.
- Copremic shock was the immediate cause of death.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Extremely rare, potentially in historical medical texts or discussions of archaic terminology.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Exclusively in very niche, historical, or highly specialised medical discourse.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “copremia”
- Misspelling as 'copramea', 'copremya', or 'copreemia'.
- Using it in modern contexts where 'sepsis' or 'peritonitis' is appropriate.
- Pronouncing the 'c' as /s/ instead of /k/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare and largely archaic term. Modern medicine uses terms like 'sepsis', 'bacteraemia', or 'faecal peritonitis' instead.
The prefix 'copr-' derives from Greek 'kopros', meaning dung or faeces. It is seen in other words like coprolite (fossilised dung) and coprophagia.
Absolutely not. It is a specialist term of very low frequency. Learning it is only relevant for specific historical or etymological research.
In British English, it's /kɒˈpriːmɪə/ (kɒ-PREE-mee-uh). In American English, it's /koʊˈpriːmiə/ (koh-PREE-mee-uh). The stress is on the second syllable.
Blood poisoning caused by toxins from faecal matter entering the bloodstream.
Copremia is usually technical / medical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(No idioms exist for this highly technical term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: COPRO (faecal matter, as in coprolite) + EMIA (in the blood) = faecal matter in the blood causing poisoning.
Conceptual Metaphor
POISONING IS CONTAMINATION / THE BODY IS A PURIFICATION SYSTEM (failure of which leads to internal pollution).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'copremia' MOST likely be found?