chilblain

noun

chil·​blain ˈchil-ˌblān 

: an inflammatory swelling or sore caused by exposure (as of the feet or hands) to cold

Did you know?

Given that chilblains are caused by exposure to cold conditions, it may not surprise you to know that the first element of this word comes from the noun chill. The second element, blain, may be less familiar, though the word blain ("an inflammatory swelling or sore") is still used by English speakers. Both elements of chilblain have Anglo-Saxon roots. Chill comes from Old English ciele ("frost" or "chill"), which is akin to ceald, an Old English ancestor of the modern cold. Blain comes from Old English blegen (of the same meaning as blain). These two words were first brought together (as the compound chyll blayne) in the 1500s.

Examples of chilblain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No one knows exactly why the new coronavirus might cause chilblain-like lesions. —Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 1 May 2020

While drawing blast furnaces, coal tipples, coke ovens and other industrial structures, the 41-year-old artist suffered chilblains, a condition that causes hands and feet to itch and turn red or blue. —Marylynne Pitz, The Seattle Times, 25 Dec. 2017

Seri is said to have a medical issue which gives him chilblains (painful skin inflammation) in cold weather, and is averse to moving to a cold country. —SI.com, 15 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

chill entry 1

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

chilblain

noun

chil·​blain ˈchil-ˌblān 

: redness and swelling sometimes with itching and burning especially of the toes, fingers, nose, and ears caused by being exposed to cold

Medical Definition

chilblain

noun

chil·​blain ˈchil-ˌblān 

: an inflammatory swelling or sore caused by exposure (as of the feet or hands) to cold

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