Unswollen

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not enlarged or expanded in size; remaining in a normal or natural state without puffiness or swelling; lacking any increased volume or augmentation
2. Characterized by the absence of swelling or distention; maintaining its typical shape and dimension without any signs of inflammation or expansion; not enlarged by fluid or injury
3. Describing tissue, body part, or material that has not increased in size due to injury or pressure; retaining its original firmness and contour without any puffiness or bloating; free from swelling effects

Etymology: "Unswollen" is simply the adjective "swollen" with the prefix "un-", meaning "not". The prefix "un-" is an ancient English element, used in Old English to reverse or negate a quality, and English speakers have attached it freely to adjectives ever since. "Swollen" itself is the past participle of "swell," so the whole word describes a thing that has not expanded, puffed up, or grown beyond its normal size. The formation is transparent, which is why the word rarely appears in dictionaries as a headword of its own. Speakers form such negatives on demand, so "unswollen" is most often seen in descriptive or figurative writing, where a writer wants to contrast a calm, unpuffed state with something that has ballooned or inflated.

Synonyms: normal, deflated, flat, uninflated, non-swollen

Antonyms: swollen, inflamed, puffy, bloated, distended