What does sudation mean?
Sudation is a formal noun meaning the process of producing sweat. It can refer broadly to the physiological activity of sweating or more specifically to the discharge of perspiration from the skin. The word is especially common in medical and scientific contexts, where it appears in descriptions of symptoms, bodily processes, and conditions affecting temperature regulation. For example, a clinician might describe a patient's unusual sudation during a consultation, while a general reader would more often say that the person was sweating. The term is useful because it distinguishes the bodily process itself from the visible moisture on the skin, although in everyday communication “sweating” and “perspiration” cover both meanings adequately.
nounThe process of producing sweat; sweating. It is chiefly used in medical, scientific, and formal contexts.
- The process of producing sweat.
- The discharge or secretion of sweat.
"Excessive sudation can be a symptom of several medical conditions."
"The patient's excessive sudation was monitored throughout the night."
"Heat can trigger sudation even when the air is relatively dry."
Usually used in specialized writing when referring to instances or episodes of sweating.
"The record includes several episodes of intense sudations."
Sudation turns the familiar act of sweating into a precise piece of medical vocabulary.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sudation come from?
Sudation comes from Latin “sudatio,” a noun meaning “sweating,” formed from “sudor,” meaning “sweat.” English borrowed the word through Latin, initially in medical and scientific writing. Its relatives include “sudatory,” meaning “causing sweating,” and “perspiration,” which belongs to a broader family of Latin-derived vocabulary connected with sweat.
Related word forms
How sudation is actually used
This is a formal or specialized term, most often encountered in medical and scientific writing. In everyday English, “sweating” or “perspiration” is more natural.
Easily confused with sudation
“Sudation” names the physiological process, whereas “sweating” is the more everyday term for that process or for the visible perspiration.