hordeolum

Meaning

Noun

• stye, sty. An infection of a sebaceous gland of the eyelid. This is distinguished from a chalazion, which is not infected, but a cyst formed from an impacted meibomian gland of the eyelid.

Origin

• Borrowed from Latin hordeolus, diminutive from hordeum (“barley”) +‎ -olus, referring to its resemblance to a grain of barley in appearance and size.