dermatitis
noun
or dermatitises
Did you know?
Dermatitis usually appears as a rash, and may cause itching, blisters, swelling, and often scabbing and scaling. It often marks an allergic reaction of some kind. Contact dermatitis is caused by something (often a chemical) touching the skin. Atopic dermatitis usually affects the insides of the elbows, the backs of the knees, and the face; generally resulting from an inherited sensitivity, it's often triggered by inhaling something. Eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff are all forms of dermatitis. Even in the worst cases, dermatitis isn't infectious and doesn't produce serious health consequences.
Examples of dermatitis in a Sentence
Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
Vital Stories launched in 2025 in response to a study sponsored by Lilly, which revealed that characters with five of America’s most prevalent conditions, including obesity, cancer, dementia, diabetes and atopic dermatitis, rarely appear on screen in film and television.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
In 2025, Ozog joined more than 20 specialists in a major consensus review, which concluded that the therapy was safe and effective for several types of ulcer, peripheral neuropathy, acute radiation dermatitis and androgenic alopecia, a type of pattern hair loss.
—Lynne Peeples, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Licensed esthetician Carly Horvath provides neuropathic treatment for acne, dermatitis, and rosacea.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dermatitis
Cite this Entry
“Dermatitis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dermatitis. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dermatitis
noun
or dermatitises
Medical Definition
dermatitis
noun
called also dermitis
