/par'euh sen tee"sis/ , n. , pl. paracenteses /-seez/ . Surg.
puncture of the wall of a cavity to drain off fluid. Also called tapping .
[ 1590-1600; paracentesis perforation, tapping parakéntesis, equiv. to parakente-, var. s. of parakenteîn to prick beside ( para- PARA- 1 + kenteîn to prick, pierce) + -sis -SIS ]