Cuban itch
- noun
- Archaic
:
picazón cubana
- Doctors identified the symptoms of Cuban itch as less severe than typical smallpox.
Examples
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The doctor diagnosed her with Cuban itch.
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Cases of Cuban itch were reported in the region during the early 19th century.
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Historical records mention Cuban itch among the diseases affecting Caribbean populations.
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Many people are unaware of Cuban itch.
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In the 19th century, outbreaks of Cuban itch affected many around the Caribbean islands.
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Doctors clarified that Cuban itch presented milder symptoms compared to traditional smallpox.
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Research revealed that Cuban itch was a less virulent form of the smallpox virus.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A less serious form of smallpox that causes small sores and a mild fever
A mild form of smallpox caused by a weaker virus strain
A mild form of smallpox with less severe symptoms
A milder form of smallpox caused by a weaker virus
A mild form of smallpox that makes people less sick than usual
A mild type of smallpox that usually causes less severe sickness and few deaths
A mild form of a serious disease that causes fever and skin blisters, seen historically in the West Indies
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'Cuban' and 'itch' transparently signal a skin-related irritation associated with Cuba, so a B1 learner would likely infer a generic itchy condition. However, the specific medical sense—a mild form of smallpox caused by a less virulent strain—is not predictable from the parts and requires specialized or cultural knowledge, making the expression only partially transparent.
Etymology
Cuban itch likely comes from reports in Cuba of a mild, itchy disease similar to smallpox. Because people talked about the itchy rash coming from Cuba, the name Cuban itch came to mean 'a mild form of smallpox'.