Hyperoxaluria

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A medical condition defined by the presence of elevated oxalate in urine levels indicates a problem with oxalate metabolism and can lead to various health complications
2. A disorder characterized by unusually high amounts of oxalate excreted in the urine that may result in kidney stones or other complications
3. A condition involving increased urinary oxalate levels that reflects abnormal oxalate processing in the body and can lead to tissue damage

Etymology: Hyperoxaluria is a modern medical coinage, built in the way clinicians named conditions in the 19th and 20th centuries: from Greek pieces assembled into a new word. Its first part, "hyper-", comes from the Greek "hyper", meaning "over" or "beyond," which is also the source of "hyperactive" and "hyperbole." The middle part, "oxal-", comes from "oxalic," the name of the acid found in sorrel and rhubarb. That name traces to the Greek "oxys," meaning "sharp" or "sour," with the plant name "oxalis" (sorrel) sharing the same root, so the chemistry was named after a sour-tasting plant. The final element, "-uria," is the Greek "-ouria," from "ouron," meaning "urine." It appears in many medical terms for substances found in urine, such as "glycosuria" for sugar and "albuminuria" for protein. Joined together, the word literally describes an excess of oxalic acid in the urine.