séptico
/ˈsebtiko/
The Spanish word for septic is séptico.
The adjective séptico is used to describe something that causes sepsis.
Meaning: causing sepsis (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, so use the feminine form séptica for feminine nouns. The adjective takes the masculine plural form sépticos when modifying a masculine plural noun or a mixed-gender group. The adjective takes the feminine plural form sépticas when modifying a feminine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsebtiko/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word séptico is commonly used in the phrase fosa séptica, which refers to a septic tank. This is the most frequent way a non-medical professional will encounter the word in daily life.
- Using séptico to describe a corrupt or 'toxic' social environment is rare in Spanish and will likely be interpreted as a literal biological description.
- In casual conversation, a Spanish speaker is far more likely to describe a 'septic' wound as infectado than to use the technical term séptico.
Examples in context
- El paciente tiene una herida séptica.The patient has a septic wound.
- La herida se está volviendo infecciosa.The wound is becoming septic/infectious.
- Esa herida está muy infectada.That wound is very septic/infected.
- una herida sépticaA septic wound
- El paciente tiene un cuadro séptico.The patient has a septic condition.
- El fluido extraído era séptico.The extracted fluid was septic.
- Es un proceso séptico muy grave.It is a very serious septic process.
Example conversation
In a hospital hallway, two doctors discuss a patient's status.
- Elena¿Cómo está la situación del paciente?How is the patient's situation?
- AlejandroEs un caso séptico y complicado.It is a septic and complicated case.
- ElenaNecesitamos actuar con rapidez.We need to act quickly.
- AlejandroYa estoy revisando el protocolo.I am already reviewing the protocol.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “septic” translations and entries séptico, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
