exanthema subitum
- noun
- /ˌɛksænˈθiːmə səˈbɪtəm/
- Specialized
:
exantema súbito
- The doctor diagnosed the child with exanthema subitum after noticing the sudden fever and pink rash.
Examples
-
Most cases of exanthema subitum resolve on their own without medical treatment.
-
Parents often confuse exanthema subitum with other childhood illnesses due to its abrupt onset.
-
The doctor diagnosed her with exanthema subitum.
-
Many children experience exanthema subitum at a young age.
-
The doctor diagnosed the child with exanthema subitum after noticing the sudden fever and pink rash.
-
Most cases of exanthema subitum resolve on their own without medical treatment.
-
Parents often confuse exanthema subitum with other childhood illnesses due to its abrupt onset.
Synonyms
1
9.8
A common childhood illness that causes a sudden fever followed by a red rash
An illness that begins with a sudden high fever and a short pink rash
A short illness in babies and young children with sudden high fever then a pale pink rash
A short illness in babies and young children with high fever, mild sore throat, and a pink rash
Surface Forms
Morphology
exanthema + subitum
The phrase literally combines exanthema (a skin rash) with Latin subitum (sudden), so a learner who knew both constituents could plausibly infer a meaning like "sudden rash." However, the specific clinical sense — a particular viral illness of infants with fever followed by a brief pink rash — and the Latin medical form make the term less immediately accessible to a B1 learner, so the relation is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The medical name exanthema subitum comes from Latin words: exanthema meaning 'a skin rash' and subitum meaning 'sudden'. So the name literally means 'sudden rash', which fits the illness because it starts with a high fever and then a short pink rash.