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Glite Dictionary
molluscum

molluscum

1 9.9
A skin disease that causes small, soft lumps on the skin
  • noun
  • /mɒˈlʌskəm/
  • Specialized
: molluscum
  • The doctor diagnosed him with molluscum, which appeared as small, raised bumps on his skin.

Examples

  • Treatment for molluscum usually involves topical medications to help reduce the nodules.

  • Children are often more susceptible to molluscum, especially when they play together at school.

  • You can get molluscum anywhere.

    Antiviral (2012)

  • Ask me if I'm looking forward to Timothy Stanton's molluscum this afternoon.

    Antiviral (2012)

Synonyms

molluscum contagiosum
vsmolluscum
  • Specialized
9.1

A skin infection caused by a virus that makes small round white or skin colored bumps, often in children

is a broader skin disease defined by soft pulpy nodules or tumors

Compounds

molluscum contagiosum
  • Specialized
9.1

A skin infection caused by a virus that makes small round white or skin colored bumps, often in children

Surface Forms

molluscum singular
molluscums plural

Etymology

The word molluscum comes from the Latin root moll-, which means 'soft', and you can see the same idea in mollusk, a soft-bodied animal, and mollify, which means 'to soften'. So molluscum refers to soft, pulpy lumps on the skin, which is why doctors use it for this skin disease.