whitehead

noun

white·​head ˈ(h)wīt-ˌhed 

: a small whitish elevation of the skin (as on the face) due to retention of sebum and dead skin cells in a skin pore blocked by a thin layer of epithelium

called also closed comedo, comedo, milium

compare blackhead sense 1

Examples of whitehead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike regular acne, the bumps from rosacea don’t typically have blackheads or whiteheads and are often accompanied by flushing, visible blood vessels and sensitivity. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 12 June 2025

Dermatologists offer a few options to treat whiteheads. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2025

Oily skin is prone to acne, whiteheads, and blackheads. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Jan. 2025

Additionally, these strips can also act as a pimple patch for your nose, treating whiteheads and blackheads simultaneously. —Daley Quinn, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for whitehead

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead

Kids Definition

whitehead

noun

white·​head ˈhwīt-ˌhed 

ˈwīt-

: a small whitish lump in the skin caused by the fluid given off by an oil gland when the canal leading from the gland is blocked

Medical Definition

whitehead

noun

white·​head -ˌhed 

1

: a small whitish noninflammatory elevation of the skin (as on the face) due to retention of sebum and dead skin cells in a skin pore blocked by a thin layer of epithelium

called also closed comedo, comedo

compare blackhead sense 1

2

: milium sense 1

Biographical Definition

Whitehead 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

White·​head ˈ(h)wīt-ˌhed 

Alfred North 1861–1947 English mathematician and philosopher

Whitehead

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

William 1715–1785 English dramatist; poet laureate (1757–85)