/lɪmf/, [lɪmpf]
OriginBorrowing from French lymphe and/or Latin lympha (“clear water”), from Ancient Greek νῠ́μφη (nŭ́mphē, “bride; spring water”). Doublet of nymph.
- literary, obsolete, uncountable, usuallyPure water.
- archaic, literary, obsolete, uncountable, usuallyThe sap of plants.
- uncountable, usuallyA colourless, watery, coagulable bodily fluid which bathes the tissues and is carried by the lymphatic system into the bloodstream; it resembles blood plasma in containing white blood cells and especially lymphocytes but normally few red blood cells and no platelets.
- uncountable, usuallyThe discharge from a sore, inflammation etc.
“She lay face-down, an infected puncture point on the inside of her thigh oozing a faint lymph.”
Formslymphs(plural) · lymphe(alternative, archaic, rare)