clysters

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableold-fashionedmedical

   An old word for an enema: liquid put into the rectum to clean it out or give medicine.

   Grammar: Countable: one clyster, two clysters. Today the usual word is 'enema'.

   Patterns

   • give someone a clyster
   • administer a clyster

   In the eighteenth century, doctors often prescribed a clyster for stomach complaints.

   The old medical text describes how to prepare a clyster from warm water and salt.

2. 2nouncountableold-fashionedmedical

   The act or treatment of washing out the bowel with such a liquid.

   Grammar: Often used with 'give' or 'have': the patient was given a clyster.

   Patterns

   • have a clyster
   • a clyster was given

   The patient was given a clyster before the operation.

   Historical records show that a clyster was a common treatment for fever.

Word forms

Common combinations

give a clyster

The nurse was instructed to give a clyster to the patient.

a clyster of warm water

They prepared a clyster of warm water and herbs.

administer a clyster

In those days, physicians would administer a clyster for many illnesses.

historical clyster

The museum displays an old clyster used in the 1700s.

Synonyms and how they differ

enema

This is the modern standard term and is far more common in medical and everyday English today.

lavage

A more technical term for washing out an organ or cavity, not specifically the bowel.

Word family

clysterize verb

An old verb meaning to treat someone with a clyster; now rare.

Commonly confused: clysters or cluster?

Practice

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