pityriasis alba
- noun
- /ˌpɪtɪˈraɪəs ˈælbə/
- Specialized
:
pitiriasis alba
- Many children develop pityriasis alba, which appears as round patches of lighter skin on their cheeks.
Examples
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The white, slightly scaly spots of pityriasis alba can be mistaken for other skin disorders.
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My doctor explained that pityriasis alba is harmless and tends to resolve on its own.
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Many children develop pityriasis alba as pale patches on their cheeks during the summer.
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Many children develop pityriasis alba during the summer.
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Have you heard about pityriasis alba?
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According to my dermatologist, pityriasis alba is a benign condition that usually fades with time.
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The doctor noted that the symptoms of pityriasis alba are often mistaken for other skin issues.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A skin condition that causes dry, flaky patches to come off
How Pale
- Specialized
2
8.8
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
pityriasis + alba
The term is compositional: 'pityriasis' denotes a scaly/flaky skin condition and 'alba' is Latin for 'white', so together they describe a whitish/scaly skin disorder. Although this is a technical Latin medical name and 'alba' may be unfamiliar in ordinary dictionaries, a learner who knows both constituents can transparently infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pityriasis alba comes from old Latin words: pityriasis meaning 'bran-like', for the small dry flakes, and alba meaning 'white', because the condition makes pale, slightly scaly patches on the skin. So the name simply describes this common, harmless skin problem.