Meaning & use
-centesis
A suffix meaning surgical puncture of a body cavity to drain fluid.
See it in a sentence
Doctors perform a thoracentesis to remove excess fluid from around the lungs.
An amniocentesis uses a needle to sample fluid from the amniotic sac.
A note on using this word
Appears in medical terms such as 'amniocentesis' and 'paracentesis'; from the Greek word for 'puncture.'
Words with a similar meaning
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