barber's itch
- noun
- /ˈbɑːrbərz ɪtʃ/
- Archaic
:
tiña de la barba
- Many cases of barber's itch respond well to antifungal creams and improved hygiene.
Examples
-
Many men suffer from barber's itch after shaving.
-
Traditional barbers had to be careful to prevent the spread of barber's itch among their customers.
-
He visited a dermatologist after noticing red, itchy patches characteristic of barber's itch.
-
He was diagnosed with barber's itch last week.
-
He visited a dermatologist after noticing red, itchy patches characteristic of barber's itch.
-
Many cases of barber's itch respond well to antifungal creams and improved hygiene.
-
Many men suffer from barber's itch after shaving.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A skin infection in the beard and neck caused by a fungus that makes the skin red and scaly
How Severe
- Specialized
23
7.5
- Specialized
1
9.9
- Specialized
- Archaic
- Specialized
1
8.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
barber's + itch
The phrase is compositionally built from 'barber's' (possessive indicating association with a barber or beard area) + 'itch' (skin irritation), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to an itch related to barbering or the beard/neck area. Although the precise medical cause (a fungal infection) is specialized information, the basic meaning of a localized skin irritation is directly derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Barber's itch may come from old barbers who, when shaving or cutting men's beards, passed a skin infection that left red, sore patches and made the face itch. That's why today barber's itch means a skin 'infection' around the beard that makes the skin 'itch'.