1: flowing or coming together; also : run together
2: characterized by confluent lesions
A term one sees in dermatology, or in infectious diseases textbooks; for example, a severe form of smallpox is characterized by the formation of confluent pustules.
Etymology:
Middle English, from Latin confluent-, confluens, present participle of confluere to flow together, from com- + fluere to flow
First Known Use: 15th century