1. plural of dropsy; abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissues or cavities
Usage: medical; archaic

Examples

• The old medical texts described various types of dropsies affecting different parts of the body.
• Before modern medicine, dropsies were poorly understood conditions.
• The physician diagnosed the patient with one of several dropsies common in that era.
• Historical records show that dropsies were often fatal in the 18th century.
• The term dropsies has largely been replaced by more specific medical terminology.