Congestions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being excessively filled or obstructed, particularly in reference to circulatory systems or traffic flow
2. The accumulation of an abnormal amount of fluid in tissues, affecting their function or movement
3. The state in which movement is hindered due to overcrowding, whether in relation to physical spaces or bodily systems

Etymology: "Congestions" is simply the plural of "congestion," so its history is that of the singular noun. The noun came into English in late Middle English, borrowed through Old French from Latin "congestio," meaning "heap" or "accumulation." That Latin word was built from "congerere," "to bring together, accumulate, heap up," which combined the prefix "con-" ("together") with "gerere," "to carry." The original picture is literal: things carried and piled into one place. The shift from heaped goods to blocked traffic came gradually, as the sense of gathering together extended to crowds of people and then to vehicles and bodily fluids. Today the plural is used mainly for multiple instances of blockage, such as traffic jams in different places or several cases of nasal or chest congestion.

Synonyms: blockages, traffic jams, obstructions

Antonyms: clearance, smoothness