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Glite Dictionary
cradle cap

cradle cap

1 5.8
A patch of yellow, greasy, scaly skin on a baby's scalp
  • noun
  • /ˈkreɪdəl kæp/
translation icon : costra láctea

Examples

  • Cradle cap is the term used when seborrheic dermatitis affects the scalp of infants.

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  • Cradle cap is a common condition that causes yellow, scaly patches on an infant's scalp.

  • Many parents find that using olive oil can help to loosen the flakes of cradle cap.

  • The pediatrician assured us that cradle cap is harmless and will usually clear up on its own.

Synonyms

seborrheic dermatitis
vscradle cap
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A long-lasting skin problem that causes scaly, greasy patches on the scalp or face

is common in infants and usually short lived on the scalp

Surface Forms

cradle cap singular
cradle caps plural

Morphology

cradle + cap

The components 'cradle' (infant) and 'cap' (something on the head) give a clear cue that the term relates to a baby’s head or scalp, so a B1 learner who knows the words could infer it concerns a head-related condition in infants. However, the specific clinical description—yellowish, greasy, scaly patches—is conventionalized and not fully predictable from the constituents, so the meaning is only partly recoverable from the parts.

Etymology

Cradle cap may come from the image of a baby in a cradle with a little cap of greasy, yellow flakes on the head. Those scaly patches look like a small 'cap' on the baby's 'scalp', so the name now means this common skin condition.