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Glite Dictionary
actinic keratosis

actinic keratosis

1 7.7
A rough, scaly patch on the skin caused by long sun exposure that can become skin cancer
  • noun
  • /ækˈtɪnɪk kəˈreɪtəʊsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : queratosis actínica
  • If left untreated, actinic keratosis may develop into skin cancer over time.
  • actinic keratoses (AKs)

Examples

  • She has a diagnosis of actinic keratosis on her forehead.

  • After years of working outdoors, he developed actinic keratosis on his hands and face.

  • Dermatologists recommend regular skin checks to detect any signs of actinic keratosis early.

  • Wearing sunscreen can help prevent actinic keratosis and other sun-related skin problems.

  • The doctor explained that actinic keratoses can develop from sun exposure.

  • A rough, scaly patch on the skin, known as actinic keratosis, can develop after long-term sun exposure.

  • Dermatologists often recommend treatments for actinic keratosis to prevent potential skin cancer.

Synonyms

keratosis
vsactinic keratosis
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A rough, thick patch on the skin where the outer layer grows too much

is a rough scaly patch caused by sunlight and considered precancerous

Surface Forms

actinic keratosis singular
actinic keratoses plural

Morphology

actinic + keratosis

Both constituents are semantically compositional: 'actinic' refers to radiation (commonly sunlight) that causes chemical changes and 'keratosis' denotes an overgrowth of the outer skin layer. Combined they transparently indicate a skin overgrowth caused by radiation, so a learner who knows both words can infer the meaning despite its medical register.

Etymology

Actinic keratosis comes from two medical words: actinic meaning 'from sun rays' and keratosis meaning 'a rough, hard patch' of skin. The name gives a clear image of skin made rough by long sun exposure, which is why it refers to those sun-damaged spots that can sometimes 'turn into cancer'.