Meaning & use
lymphatic
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounmedicalbiology
Relating to lymph or the system of vessels and nodes that carries it.
Grammar: Used before a noun: lymphatic system, lymphatic vessel.
Patterns
- lymphatic system
- lymphatic vessel
- lymphatic tissue
The lymphatic system helps remove waste and excess fluid from tissues.
Lymphatic vessels carry lymph toward the heart.
Swollen lymph nodes can be a sign that the lymphatic system is fighting an infection.
adjectivenot comparableliterary
Having a sluggish or weak quality; lacking energy or vitality.
Grammar: Used mainly in literary descriptions; not usually compared.
Patterns
- lymphatic temperament
- lymphatic look
He moved with a lymphatic slowness, as if the air were thick.
Her lymphatic temperament made her seem detached from the busy world.
Common combinations
- lymphatic system
- The lymphatic system is part of the immune system.
- lymphatic vessel
- Lymphatic vessels are thin tubes that carry lymph.
- lymphatic drainage
- Lymphatic drainage helps reduce swelling after surgery.
- lymphatic tissue
- Lymphatic tissue is found in the spleen and tonsils.
Word family
- lymph noun
- The clear fluid that flows through the lymphatic system.
- lymphocyte noun
- A type of white blood cell found in the lymphatic system.
- lymphoma noun
- A cancer that starts in lymphatic tissue.
Commonly confused: lymphatic or limbic?
lymphatic vs limbic
Limbic refers to a set of brain structures (the limbic system), while lymphatic refers to lymph vessels and nodes.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lymphatic' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Lymphatic is an adjective describing the system that carries lymph, so it fits before 'system'. The other options use it as a noun or with an unrelated meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lymphatic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.