What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
purulent
Example
The purulent discharge from the wound indicated an infection. [purulent: adjective]
Example
The doctor prescribed antibiotics to treat the purulent infection. [purulent: noun]
suppurative
Example
The suppurative infection required surgical intervention. [suppurative: adjective]
Example
The nurse used a syringe to aspirate the suppurative fluid from the abscess. [suppurative: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Purulent is more common than suppurative in everyday language and medical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between purulent and suppurative?
Suppurative is more formal than purulent and is often used in technical or scientific writing.
