NEWS Health News Word of the Week: Edema By Verywell Health Editors Published on October 21, 2021 Share Tweet Email Print Alex Dos Diaz / Verywell Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Edema How to say it: Edema (eh-DEE-muh) What it means: An abnormal buildup of fluid in the body; swelling. Where it comes from: From Greek, oidēma, "swelling." OpenStax College/WikiCommons Where you might see or hear it: If you badly sprain your ankle on a hike and need to get medical care, the doctor examining you might note that there is edema around your ankle or foot (which means that the area is swollen). When you might want to use it: If you go home after hurting your ankle and call your doctor's office to ask if you should come in to have it looked at or go to the ER, you could say that there is edema, but it's just as easy to say that your ankle and/or foot is swollen. Are Swollen Feet a Sign of Heart Failure? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 0 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Merriam-Webster. Definition of edema.