erythema multiforme
- noun
- /ˌɛrɪˈθimə ˌmʌltɪˈfɔrmi/
- Specialized
:
eritema multiforme
- The doctor explained that erythema multiforme is a skin condition that causes a red rash as a reaction to certain medications.
Examples
-
In a case report, erythema multiforme has been reported in one patient following pyrazinamide administration for cutaneous tuberculosis related to a pleural fistula.
Academic text (2007) -
After 26 days of therapy, maculopapular erythematous lesions appeared, and biopsy results confirmed the diagnosis of erythema multiforme.
Academic text (2007) -
At the post-test, the improvement in diagnostic skills was noticed for diagnoses such as carbuncle, pityriasis versicolor, erythema multiforme, and psoriasis.
Academic text (2007) -
Many patients develop erythema multiforme after exposure to allergens, which can lead to uncomfortable skin symptoms.
-
When diagnosed with erythema multiforme, the patient was advised to avoid any known triggers that could worsen the rash.
Surface Forms
Morphology
erythema + multiforme
The elements 'erythema' (redness) and 'multiforme' (multiform / many forms) compositionally yield 'redness of many forms', so a learner who knew both constituents could plausibly infer it denotes a type of red rash. However, this is a specialized Latin/medical term and carries clinical implications (specific lesion types and causes) that are not fully predictable from the parts, so it is not fully transparent to an average B1 learner.
Etymology
Erythema multiforme comes from the words erythema and multiforme, meaning 'redness' and 'many shapes'. That's why the name fits a 'skin condition' with red rashes that can take many different shapes.
