spider nevus
- noun
- /ˈspaɪdər ˈniːvəs/
- Specialized
- A spider nevus is easily recognized by its central red spot and radiating vessels.
Examples
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Chronic liver disease can often lead to the appearance of multiple spider nevi on the skin.
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The dermatologist identified a spider nevus on the patient's cheek during the examination.
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The doctor pointed out a spider nevus on my arm.
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Many people have spider naevi without any health concerns.
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A spider nevus is easily recognized by its central red spot and radiating vessels.
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The dermatologist identified a spider nevus on the patient's cheek during the examination.
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Many people have spider nevi without any health concerns.
Synonyms
A small red spot on the skin with thin red lines spreading out from the middle
A small red mark on the skin with a dot in the middle and thin red lines like a spider
A small widened blood vessel near the skin that looks like a thin red line
A small widened blood vessel near the skin or inside the mouth that you can see
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'spider' (indicating a spider-like radiating shape) with 'nevus' (a skin blemish), so the idea of a skin lesion with radiating capillaries is directly inferable from the constituents. This shape-based naming is common in medical vocabulary and across languages, making the MWE readily understandable to a learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Spider nevus gets its name from how it looks: a small red spot with thin lines spreading out like a spider's legs, and nevus is a medical word for a skin spot. So, doctors use the name to mean 'a small, spider-shaped blood vessel on the skin'.