hospital gangrene: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowHistorical / Technical Medical
Quick answer
What does “hospital gangrene” mean?
a severe, rapidly spreading infection and death of tissue (gangrene) acquired in a hospital setting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
a severe, rapidly spreading infection and death of tissue (gangrene) acquired in a hospital setting.
A historical term for a type of gangrene, often caused by streptococcal or clostridial bacteria, that could spread rapidly among patients in crowded, pre-antibiotic era hospitals due to poor hygiene and cross-contamination.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference; the term is equally historical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes historical medical practice, pre-asepsis, and often high mortality rates.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern usage, found almost exclusively in historical texts or discussions of medical history.
Grammar
How to Use “hospital gangrene” in a Sentence
The patient developed hospital gangrene.Hospital gangrene spread through the ward.Surgeons dreaded hospital gangrene.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hospital gangrene” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The hospital gangrene outbreak was devastating.
- He described the hospital gangrene cases in his journal.
American English
- The hospital gangrene cases were isolated immediately.
- She wrote about the hospital gangrene risk in her thesis.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in historical or medical history papers discussing pre-antiseptic surgery and hospital epidemics.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
May appear in historical medical literature; replaced by precise modern terminology in current clinical practice.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hospital gangrene”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hospital gangrene”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hospital gangrene”
- Using it to describe modern hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) like MRSA.
- Confusing it with diabetic gangrene or frostbite, which have different causes.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not under that name. Modern sterile techniques and antibiotics have virtually eliminated the specific historical phenomenon described as 'hospital gangrene', though severe hospital-acquired infections like necrotizing fasciitis still occur rarely.
It was typically caused by bacteria (like Streptococcus pyogenes or Clostridium perfringens) introduced into wounds during surgery or treatment in unsanitary, crowded hospital conditions where cross-contamination was rife.
No. It is an archaic term. You should use precise modern clinical terminology such as 'necrotizing soft tissue infection', 'gas gangrene', or 'postoperative necrotizing fasciitis'.
It highlights the deadly consequences of pre-aseptic medical practice and was a major driver for the adoption of antiseptic techniques by pioneers like Joseph Lister in the 1860s.
a severe, rapidly spreading infection and death of tissue (gangrene) acquired in a hospital setting.
Hospital gangrene is usually historical / technical medical in register.
Hospital gangrene: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒspɪtl̩ ˈɡæŋɡriːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑːspɪtl̩ ˈɡæŋɡriːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none specific to this term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old, crowded HOSPITAL where a wound turns black (GANGRENE) and spreads from bed to bed – that's 'hospital gangrene'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE HOSPITAL AS A PLACE OF PERIL (historical); INFECTION AS A CONTAGIOUS PLAGUE.
Practice
Quiz
'Hospital gangrene' is a term most likely to be encountered today in: