Meaning & use
varicosity
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Meanings
nouncountablemedical
A vein that has become swollen, twisted, and permanently widened, usually in the legs.
Grammar: Countable: one varicosity, two varicosities. Often used in the plural to talk about several swollen veins.
Patterns
- a varicosity in something
- develop varicosities
- treat varicosities
The doctor found a varicosity in her left calf.
After years of standing at work, he developed varicosities in both legs.
Varicosities can be painful and may need treatment.
noununcountablemedical
The condition of having swollen, twisted veins.
Grammar: Uncountable: talk about varicosity as a medical condition, without 'a' or a plural.
Patterns
- suffer from varicosity
- treat varicosity
- varicosity of the legs
Varicosity often runs in families.
Pregnancy can make varicosity worse.
The clinic specializes in the treatment of varicosity.
Word forms
| plural | varicosities |
|---|
Common combinations
- develop varicosities
- Many nurses develop varicosities after years on their feet.
- varicosities in the legs
- Varicosities in the legs are common in older adults.
- treatment for varicosities
- She is looking into treatment for varicosities.
- painful varicosities
- Painful varicosities can make walking difficult.
Synonyms and how they differ
- varicose vein
- The everyday term for the same thing; it is more common in speech and less technical than varicosity.
- varicosis
- A rarer medical term for the condition itself; varicosity can mean either the condition or a single swollen vein.
Word family
- varicose adjective
- Describing a vein that is swollen and twisted, as in 'varicose veins'.
- varices noun
- The plural of varix, an abnormally widened vein, often used for veins in the esophagus.
Commonly confused: varicosity or varicose? varicosity or velocity?
varicosity vs varicose
Varicose is an adjective (varicose veins), while varicosity is a noun (a varicosity or the condition).
varicosity vs velocity
Velocity means speed; varicosity is about swollen veins. They sound somewhat similar but are unrelated.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Varicosity' is a countable noun for a single swollen vein, so 'a varicosity in her right leg' is correct. 'Varicose' is an adjective and cannot be used alone as a noun, and the other options either use the wrong form or are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “varicosity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.