wheal

[ weel, hweel ]

noun

1. a small, burning or itching swelling on the skin, as from a mosquito bite or from hives.
2. a wale or welt.

wheal

/ wiːl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of weal 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of wheal¹

before 900; akin to whelk ² and to obsolete wheal (v.), Old English hwelian to suppurate, develop wheals

Example Sentences

The first doctor she spoke to misdiagnosed the large red wheals on her skin as contact dermatitis.

From BBC

But not everyone reacts to mosquitoes with an itchy wheal.

From New York Times

Directly opposite, at eye level, are the tops of carved tree trunks, all bearing the distinctive wheals of Brzezinski’s chain saws.

From Washington Post

Numerous other methods exist besides ratatouille preparation for turning one's whorls into wheals.

From Scientific American

Bright red wheals covered her neck and face, chest, arms and legs.

From New York Times

Related Words

• abscess
• cyst
• pimple
• sore
• ulcer
• welt