vitiligo

noun

vit·​i·​li·​go ˌvi-tə-ˈlī-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce vitiligo (audio) -ˈlē- How to pronounce vitiligo (audio)
: a skin disorder manifested by smooth white spots on various parts of the body

Examples of vitiligo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Harlow became the first model with vitiligo to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2016. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024 Without melanin, people with vitiligo can be sensitive to the sun. Daniella Midenge, Women's Health, 26 Apr. 2023 In 2020, the company's Barbie Fashionistas line featured its first dolls with vitiligo, a doll with no hair, and a doll with a darker skin tone and a gold prosthetic limb. Michael Roppolo, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2023 Some common skin conditions include eczema, psoriasis, hives, and vitiligo. Health Editorial Team, Health, 30 Oct. 2023 Harlow was diagnosed at age 4 with vitiligo, a condition in which the skin loses its pigment cells. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023 Some people have localized vitiligo, in which only a few white spots appear, while others can have it on larger swaths of skin.38 The cause of vitiligo is not fully understood. Health Editorial Team, Health, 30 Oct. 2023 Top models like Winnie Harlow, who has vitiligo, a skin condition, showed up in some of the designs. Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023 There has since been the introduction of a Barbie with vitiligo, a Barbie with Down syndrome, a bald Barbie and many others, plus a series modeled on inspiring women like Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou and Billie Jean King. Willa Paskin, New York Times, 11 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vitiligo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, skin eruption

First Known Use

circa 1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vitiligo was circa 1842

Dictionary Entries Near vitiligo

Cite this Entry

“Vitiligo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vitiligo. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

vitiligo

noun
vit·​i·​li·​go
ˌvit-ᵊl-ˈī-(ˌ)gō also -ˈē-
: a progressive skin disorder that is a form of leukoderma caused by the localized or generalized destruction of melanocytes and marked by sharply circumscribed white spots of skin

More from Merriam-Webster on vitiligo

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