eczema

[ ek-suh-muh, eg-zuh-, ig-zee- ]

noun

Pathology.

1. an inflammatory condition of the skin attended with itching and the exudation of serous matter.

eczema

/ ɪɡˈziːmə; ɛkˈsɛmətəs; ˈɛksɪmə /

noun

1. pathol a skin inflammation with lesions that scale, crust, or ooze a serous fluid, often accompanied by intense itching or burning

eczema

/ ĕk′sə-mə /

1. An acute or chronic noncontagious inflammation of the skin, often caused by allergy and characterized by itching, scaling, and blistering.

Derived Forms

• eczematous, adjective

Other Word Forms

• ec·zema·tous [ig-, zem, -, uh, -t, uh, s, -, zee, -m, uh, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of eczema¹

First recorded in 1745–55; from New Latin, from Greek ékzema, from ek- ec- + ze- (stem of zeîn “to boil, ferment”) + -ma, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of eczema¹

C18: from New Latin, from Greek ekzema, from ek- out + zein to boil; see yeast

Example Sentences

"It's taken a big toll on my life," says Elle Jones, 19, reflecting on her severe eczema.

From BBC

LED technology has been used to address a number of skin issues, such as eczema, mild to moderate acne, psoriasis and sun damage in a medical setting.

From BBC

“We had a few families that had children with eczema, and they needed a certain kind of lotion, and we were able to give out gift cards for that,” said organizer Brandon Lamar.

From Los Angeles Times

Gemma said she and Nick first suspected Seren had allergies when she was three months old as she had "very sore skin, widespread eczema and it was hard to get under control".

From BBC

“These airborne pollutants are corrosive to the skin barrier, causing inflammation, triggering eczema and also can accelerate the aging process of the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times