Meanings
plural onchocerciases
- countableuncountablemedicineA disease caused by a worm of the genus Onchocerca, especially as transmitted to humans by flies and often causing blindness; common in tropical Africa.
Synonyms: river blindness, Robles' disease
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA disease caused by a worm of the genus Onchocerca, especially as transmitted to humans by flies and often causing blindness; common in tropical Africa.
More synonyms by meaning
nouninfestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekὄγκος“barb”
- New LatinOnchocerca
- Englishonchocerciasis
From New Latin Onchocerca (a genus of parasitic worms), from Ancient Greek ὄγκος (ónkos, “barb”) + κέρκος (kérkos, “tail”) + -iasis.
More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish jokisokeus
- jokisokeusTranslations
Italian oncocercosi
- oncocercosiTranslations
Spanish oncocercosis
- oncocercosisTranslations
Swahili upofu wa mto
- upofu wa mtoTranslations
Cite this entry
onchocerciasis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onchocerciasis
“onchocerciasis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onchocerciasis. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “onchocerciasis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onchocerciasis.
Source: onchocerciasis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.