Intrapleural

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the anatomical space found between the pleurae enveloping the lungs
2. Concerning the area located between the two layers of the pleura surrounding each lung
3. Describing something associated with or occurring within the cavity formed by the membranes lining the lungs

Etymology: "Intrapleural" is a plain technical formation, built from two parts that each carry a clear meaning. The first part, "intra-", comes from Latin and means "within" or "inside". The second part, "pleural", describes the pleura, the thin double membrane that wraps each lung and lines the chest wall, and that membrane takes its name from the Greek "pleura", meaning "side" or "rib", a reference to the flanks of the body where it sits. Put together, the word simply means "within the pleura", which is why it is used for things that happen inside the space between those two layers, such as fluid collecting there or a procedure carried out there. Its construction follows the usual pattern of medical English, where a Latin prefix is attached to a Greek-derived anatomical term to pin down an exact location.