ringworm

noun

ring·​worm ˈriŋ-ˌwərm 

: any of several contagious fungal diseases of the skin, hair, or nails of humans and domestic animals that are characterized by ring-shaped discolored skin patches covered with vesicles and scales

Examples of ringworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Common fungal infections include athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm, and vaginal yeast infections.8 The urinary tract is a common site for infections. —Barbie Cervoni, Ms, Rd, Cdces, Cdn, Health, 18 Oct. 2023

Both were healthy and active aside from minor skin lesions and mild cases of ringworm. —Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 29 Feb. 2024

Further Reading Drug-resistant ringworm reported in US for first time; community spread likely Last year, a dermatologist in New York reported the country's first cases of a newly emerging skin fungus that is highly contagious and resistant to common antifungal treatments. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 16 Jan. 2024

Athlete’s foot—also known as tinea pedis or foot ringworm—is a fungal infection that impacts the feet. —Sherri Gordon, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2024

Hair loss can also be a symptom of a health condition that requires treatment such as a nutrient deficiency, thyroid disorder, an autoimmune condition, or even a skin condition like ringworm, among others. —Christin Perry, Parents, 10 Sep. 2023

We had been infected with barber disease, the doctor told us, a kind of ringworm spread first by barbers’ tools, then by children touching heads at school. —Safiya Sinclair, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023

Public health officials urged doctors to be on the lookout for ringworm infections, also known as tinea, that do not respond to traditional first-line treatments. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 May 2023

Complications of ringworm infections can include secondary bacterial infections and, in rare cases, infections that reach deeper into the skin that can be serious. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 12 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ringworm

noun

ring·​worm ˈriŋ-ˌwərm 

: a contagious skin disease caused by fungi and marked by ring-shaped discolored patches

Medical Definition

ringworm

noun

ring·​worm ˈriŋ-ˌwərm 

: any of several contagious diseases of the skin, hair, or nails of humans and domestic animals caused by fungi (as of the genus Trichophyton) and characterized by ring-shaped discolored patches on the skin that are covered with vesicles and scales

called also tinea