Saint Anthony's fire

noun

variants or St. Anthony's fire
: any of several inflammations or gangrenous conditions (such as erysipelas or ergotism) of the skin

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Saint Anthony's fire was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Saint Anthony's fire

Cite this Entry

“Saint Anthony's fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Saint%20Anthony%27s%20fire. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

Saint Anthony's fire

noun
Saint An·​tho·​ny's fire
ˌsānt-ˌan(t)-thə-nēz-, chiefly British -ˌan-tə-
: any of several inflammatory or gangrenous conditions (as erysipelas or ergotism) of the skin
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!