1. to convert into a liver-like substance; to undergo hepatization (a pathological process in which lung tissue becomes firm and liver-like, typically due to pneumonia)
Usage: medical/technical term; third person singular present tense of 'hepatize'

Examples

• The pneumonia hepatizes the affected lung tissue, making it appear dense on X-rays.
• When the infection progresses, the lower lobes hepatize and consolidate.
• The pathologist noted that the tissue hepatizes during the inflammatory response.
• Bacterial pneumonia hepatizes lung segments, impairing gas exchange.