acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin that is marked by blemishes (such as whiteheads, blackheads, or pustules) especially on the face, chest, and shoulders and is caused by inflammation of sebaceous glands and hair follicles

especially : a form found chiefly in adolescents

acned

ˈak-nēd 

adjective

an acned teenager

acned skin

Examples of acne in a Sentence

a teenager with bad acne

Recent Examples on the Web

Similarly to acne, this condition can cause bumps to be more inflamed than others. —Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 20 Nov. 2024

Bonus: These mists can tackle blemishes and uneven texture beyond back acne, including ingrown hairs on your legs and pits, keratosis pilaris on your arms, and even bumps on your bum. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 6 Nov. 2024

The downfall is it's made of plastic, which can harbor bacteria and lead to cat acne. —Medea Giordano, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024

These personal stories play an important role in de-stigmatizing acne and portraying the complexities of treatment. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin acnē, acna, borrowed from Late Greek aknḗ "eruption on the face," manuscript variant of akmḗ, literally, "point" — more at acme

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing acne

• acne rosacea
• anti-acne
• mask acne

Kids Definition

acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of skin glands and hair follicles and marked by pimples especially on the face

Medical Definition

acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin that is marked by blemishes (such as whiteheads, blackheads, or pustules) especially on the face, chest, and shoulders and is caused by inflammation of sebaceous glands and hair follicles

especially : a form found chiefly in adolescents : acne vulgaris

acned

-nēd 

adjective