pityriasis

P3I1T1Y4R1I1A1S1I1S1
/ˌpɪtəˈɹaɪəsɪs/

noun

Any of several varieties of skin diseases characterized by the shedding of flakes or scales, such as dandruff.

OriginNew Latin pityriasis ← Koine Greek πιτυρίασις ← Ancient Greek πίτῡρον →
UncommonFirst used 17th c.Scrabble 15
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Meanings

nounpityriasis (countable and uncountable, plural pityriases)

plural pityriases

  1. countableuncountablemedicineAny of several varieties of skin diseases characterized by the shedding of flakes or scales, such as dandruff.First known use 17th c.

    ‘This patch is pityriasis, you see, it's coffee-coloured. The things we use for the other troubles will cure that too.’

    1994, Louis de Bernières, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Minerva, published 1995, page 137

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπίτῡρον“bran”
  2. Koine Greekπιτυρίασις
  3. New Latinpityriasis
  4. Englishpityriasis

From New Latin pityriasis, from Koine Greek πιτυρίασις (pituríasis), from Ancient Greek πίτῡρον (pítūron, “bran”).

More words from New Latin, Koine Greek, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch zemelenuitslag
  • zemelenuitslagany of several varieties of skin diseases
Italian pitiriasi
  • pitiriasiany of several varieties of skin diseases
Japanese 粃糠疹
  • 粃糠疹 (hikōshin)any of several varieties of skin diseases
Spanish pitiriasis
  • pitiriasisany of several varieties of skin diseases
Cite this entry
APA

pityriasis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pityriasis

MLA

“pityriasis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pityriasis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pityriasis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pityriasis.

Source: pityriasis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.