What does adenopathy mean?
Adenopathy is a medical term denoting the enlargement or swelling of lymph nodes, the small glands distributed throughout the body that form part of the immune system. The word derives from Greek roots: 'adēn', meaning gland, and 'pathos', meaning suffering or disease. Clinicians use it to describe lymph nodes that have become enlarged in response to infection, inflammatory conditions, or malignancy. Adenopathy may be localized — for example, confined to the neck (cervical adenopathy) or chest (mediastinal adenopathy) — or generalized across multiple regions of the body. Because swollen lymph nodes can signal anything from a minor throat infection to serious systemic illness, identifying and characterizing adenopathy is an important part of physical examination and diagnostic imaging. Though closely related to the fuller term 'lymphadenopathy', adenopathy is a slightly more compact variant widely used in medical literature and practice.
nounSwelling or enlargement of the lymph nodes (glands), typically due to infection, inflammation, or malignancy.
- Enlargement or swelling of lymph nodes, usually as a sign of infection, inflammation, or cancer.
"The physician noted cervical adenopathy during the physical examination."
"Bilateral hilar adenopathy was visible on the chest X-ray."
"Persistent unexplained adenopathy warrants further investigation."
Rarely pluralized in practice; clinicians typically refer to 'multiple sites of adenopathy' rather than using the plural form.
"Multiple adenopathies were identified on imaging."
Doctors say 'adenopathy' when they mean your lymph nodes are swollen — and the word literally means 'gland suffering' in Greek.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of adenopathy
Adenopathy comes from the Greek 'adēn' (gland) combined with 'pathos' (disease or suffering), entering English through medical Latin usage. It is closely related to 'lymphadenopathy', which specifies the lymphatic glands more precisely. Cognates sharing the same root include 'adenoid', 'adenoma', and 'adenitis'.
How adenopathy is actually used
A formal medical term used almost exclusively in clinical contexts; lay speakers would more likely say 'swollen glands' or 'swollen lymph nodes'.
Easily confused with adenopathy
Lymphadenopathy is the broader, more precise clinical term for lymph node disease; 'adenopathy' is a shortened form referring to the same condition.