erysipelas

noun

ery·​sip·​e·​las ˌer-ə-ˈsi-p(ə-)ləs 

ˌir-

: an acute febrile disease associated with intense edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by a hemolytic streptococcus

Examples of erysipelas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2019, eight students could not be tripped up – not by Latin (cernuous: drooping), Greek (erysipelas: a type of disease), or French (aiguillette: a military shoulder cord) – and the bee ended in an eight-way tie. —Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2023

On two consecutive occasions, the erysipelas infection killed the patients. —Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2016

Coley filled a syringe with living Streptococcus pyogenes, known to induce erysipelas attacks, and injected the solution directly into Zola’s tumor. —Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Middle English erisipila, from Latin erysipelas, from Greek, from erysi- (probably akin to Greek erythros red) + -pelas (probably akin to Latin pellis skin) — more at red, fell

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

erysipelas

noun

er·​y·​sip·​e·​las ˌer-ə-ˈsip-(ə-)ləs, ˌir- 

1

: an acute febrile disease that is associated with intense often vesicular and edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues and that is caused by a hemolytic streptococcus

2

: swine erysipelas

—used especially when the disease affects hosts other than swine