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eczema

noun
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ec·​ze·​ma | \ ig-ˈzē-mə How to pronounce eczema (audio) , ˈeg-zə-mə, ˈek-sə- How to pronounce eczema (audio) \

Definition of eczema

: an inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or hardened
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Other Words from eczema

eczematous \ ig-​ˈze-​mə-​təs How to pronounce eczematous (audio) \ adjective

Examples of eczema in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her eczema stuck around, and the steroids made her skin break out in painful, persistent acne. — Julie Mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "CBS Miami’s Frances Wang Dealing with Mystery Skin Condition: ‘I Felt Emotionally Exhausted Trying to Hide It’," 30 Sep. 2019 Sure, some dermatologists might be blessed with naturally cooperative complexions, but countless others struggle with common skin woes, like acne and eczema, just like the rest of us. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Eight Top Dermatologists Reveal Their Skin-Care Routines," 1 Dec. 2019 One mother, who asked to go by her surname Lee, says her seven-year-old daughter’s eczema has worsened recently. — Hillary Leung / Hong Kong, Time, "Tear Gas Is Now a Fact of Life in Hong Kong. Residents Are Wondering What It's Doing to Their Health," 6 Dec. 2019 On one hand, there are such services as MDLive and DermatologistOnCall, which assign patients to on-call dermatologists who can address and diagnose a wide variety of skin conditions and concerns, from psoriasis to eczema to warts. — Sara Coughlin, SELF, "What Can an Online Dermatologist Actually Do for You?," 20 Nov. 2019 That can open a Pandora's box of sorts for skin, leaving it vulnerable to inflammatory skin disorders, such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. — Deanna Pai, CNN Underscored, "How probiotics can help prevent acne, eczema and skin irritation," 22 Oct. 2019 Potential benefits—including treatments for acne, eczema, and wrinkles—are essentially endless. — Zuzu Snyder, Marie Claire, "The Next 25 Years of Beauty," 10 Oct. 2019 Haygood has severe atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema. — CBS News, "Teens with skin conditions model dresses that show more than what meets the eye," 11 Oct. 2019 Bouts of eczema and acne at age 16, as well as bad experiences with cure-all skin-care products, led her to concoct her first cream, a moisturizing balm made from palm kernel butter produced by women in Obout. — Fortune, "These ‘Beauty Brunches’ in Prove That Wellness Is More Than Skin Deep," 21 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eczema.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of eczema

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for eczema

borrowed from New Latin, borrowed from Greek ékzema, from ekze-, stem of ekzéō, ekzeîn "to boil over, (of disease) break out" (from ek- ec- + zeîn "to boil, seethe") + -ma, resultative noun suffix — more at yeast entry 1

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Time Traveler for eczema

Time Traveler

The first known use of eczema was circa 1753

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Statistics for eczema

Last Updated

9 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Eczema.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eczema. Accessed 20 January 2020.

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More Definitions for eczema

eczema

noun
How to pronounce eczema (audio) How to pronounce eczema (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of eczema

medical : a skin disease that causes areas of the skin to become red, rough, and itchy

See the full definition for eczema in the English Language Learners Dictionary

eczema

noun
ec·​ze·​ma | \ ig-ˈzē-mə How to pronounce eczema (audio) , ˈeg-zə-mə, ˈek-sə-mə \

Kids Definition of eczema

: a skin disease in which the skin is red and itchy and has scaly or crusty patches

eczema

noun
ec·​ze·​ma | \ ig-ˈzē-mə How to pronounce eczema (audio) , ˈeg-zə-mə How to pronounce eczema (audio) , ˈek-sə- How to pronounce eczema (audio) \

Medical Definition of eczema

: an inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or hardened

Other Words from eczema

eczematous \ ig-​ˈzem-​ət-​əs How to pronounce eczematous (audio) \ adjective

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More from Merriam-Webster on eczema

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with eczema

Spanish Central: Translation of eczema

Nglish: Translation of eczema for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of eczema for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eczema

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