Adjacent Words

Fistula definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FIS'TULA, n. [L.; Eng. whistle.]
1. Properly, a pipe; a wind instrument of music, originally a reed.
2. A surgery, a deep, narrow and callous ulcer, generally arising from abscesses. It differs from a sinus, in being callous.
Fistula lachrymalis, a fistula of the lachrymal sac, a disorder accompanied with a flowing of tears.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a chronic inflammation of the withers of a horse [syn: fistulous withers, fistula]
2: an abnormal passage leading from a suppurating cavity to the body surface [syn: fistula, sinus]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural -las or fistulae) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, pipe, fistula Date: 14th century an abnormal passage that leads from an abscess or hollow organ or part to the body surface or from one hollow organ or part to another and that may be surgically created to permit passage of fluids or secretions

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. fistulas or fistulae) 1 an abnormal or surgically made passage between a hollow organ and the body surface or between two hollow organs. 2 a natural pipe or spout in whales, insects, etc. Derivatives: fistular adj. fistulous adj. Etymology: L, = pipe, flute

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fistula Fis"tu*la (?; 135), n.; pl. Fistul[ae]. [L.] 1. A reed; a pipe. 2. A pipe for convejing water. [Obs.] --Knight. 3. (Med.) A permanent abnormal opening into the soft parts with a constant discharge; a deep, narrow, chronic abscess; an abnormal opening between an internal cavity and another cavity or the surface; as, a salivary fistula; an anal fistula; a recto-vaginal fistula. Incomplete fistula (Med.), a fistula open at one end only.