Etymology
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tumescence (n.)

1725, from French tumescence, from Latin tumescentem (nominative tumescens) "swelling," present participle of tumescere "begin to swell, swell up," figuratively "grow excited, become enraged," inceptive of tumere "to swell" (from PIE root *teue- "to swell"), with inchoative suffix -escere.

updated on May 13, 2017

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