erysipelas

Meaning

Noun

• An acute, sometimes recurrent febrile disease caused by infection of a hemolytic streptococcus, associated with intense edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, and marked by large raised red patches on the skin.

Origin

• From Middle English erisipila, borrowed from Latin erysipelas, from Ancient Greek ἐρῠσῐ́πελᾰς, probably related to ἐρῠθρός and πέλμᾰ.