leprous

[ lep-ruhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

Pathology. affected with leprosy.
of or resembling leprosy.
Botany, Zoology. covered with scales.

leprous

/ ˈlɛprəs /

adjective

having leprosy
relating to or resembling leprosy
See leprose
biology a less common word for leprose

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Derived Forms

ˈleprously, adverb
ˈleprousness, noun

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Other Words From

leprous·ly adverb
leprous·ness noun
non·leprous adjective
non·leprous·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of leprous¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English word from Late Latin word leprōsus. See leper, -ous

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Word History and Origins

Origin of leprous¹

C13: from Old French, from Late Latin leprosus, from lepra leper

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Example Sentences

She smiled faintly, and then a tear rolled down the leprous cheek.

From Project Gutenberg

It has been given in obstructions of the liver and cutaneous affections of the leprous kind.

From Project Gutenberg

But you and I, Gentlemen, let us thank God we are not officially barked about with such a leprous elephantiasis as that.

From Project Gutenberg

Unhealthy, leprous-white was the skin, and there was not one hair, eyelash or eyebrow on the whole head.

From Project Gutenberg

And he thought of the photograph on Petersen's leprous wall.

From Project Gutenberg

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About This Word

What does leprous mean?

Leprous is an adjective used to describe someone with leprosy, an infectious skin disease.

Leprous can also mean resembling or relating to leprosy.

Leprosy causes bumps and wounds on and under the skin that gradually spread and can cause muscle weakness, nerve damage, and paralysis. If not treated effectively, it can result in the loss of body parts and eventually death.

Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease, which is the name preferred by many medical professionals. It’s caused by a kind of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It can be cured with a treatment of antibiotics and other drugs.

Cases of leprosy have been documented since ancient times. Due to its severe effects and contagiousness, many people who have had the disease throughout history have been stigmatized and treated as outcasts.

Historically, the word leper has been used to refer to a person with leprosy. Due to the stigma, it came to be used in a more figurative way to mean an outcast or someone who is excluded, especially for behavior or opinions considered unacceptable. Though it’s much less common, the adjective leprous can also be used in this way, as in Ever since I expressed my opinion, I’ve been treated as leprous around here. However, both the figurative and literal senses of leper can be considered insensitive due to the fact that they can dehumanize those who have the disease. Although the term leprous patient is sometimes used to refer to someone with the disease, it is typically recommended to use a phrase like “a person with Hansen’s disease.”

Where does leprous come from?

The first records of the use of the word leprous in English come from around the 1200s. The word leprosy isn’t recorded until later, in the 1500s (though descriptions of a disease thought to be leprosy date back much further—it’s even mentioned in the Bible.) Both leprosy and leprous derive from the Greek word leprós, “scaly,” which is related to lépein, “to peel.”

In the study of plants and animals, leprous is a less common synonym of leprose, meaning covered with scales. Some early uses of the word leprosy were more general, referring to any disease involving scaly or discolored patches of skin. Today, though, leprosy specifically refers to a disease caused by a Mycobacterium leprae. Although this bacterium can be killed with antibiotics, the skin and nerve damage that the disease can cause can be permanent, so early diagnosis is key. The word leprous can be used to describe a person with leprosy or the parts of their body that are affected by it, but leprous is not commonly used by medical professionals.