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prickly heat
noun
: a noncontagious cutaneous eruption of red pimples with intense itching and tingling caused by inflammation around the sweat ducts
Examples of prickly heat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There is no way to avoid prickly heat entirely in hot weather, but wearing loosely fitting clothes and moving around to allow skin to breathe can help.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 22 July 2024
Heat rash, also known as prickly heat or miliaria, happens when sweat is trapped in the skin, causing small blisters and lumps to form, the Mayo Clinic explains.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 10 Aug. 2022
The girl was filthy, blistered by prickly heat and bitten by ants, her ankles chafed by chains attached to an iron stake.
—Sam Roberts, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prickly heat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1736, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near prickly heat
Cite this Entry
“Prickly heat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly%20heat. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
prickly heat
noun
: a rash around the openings of the sweat glands with pimples, itching, and tingling that is caused by inflammation
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