porphyria

American  

[pawr-feer-ee-uh, -fahy-ree-uh] / pɔrˈfɪər i ə, -ˈfaɪ ri ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a defect of blood pigment metabolism in which porphyrins are produced in excess, are present in the blood, and are found in the urine.

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porphyria British  

/ pɔːˈfɪrɪə /

noun

1. a hereditary disease of body metabolism, producing abdominal pain, mental confusion, etc

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Etymology

Origin of porphyria

First recorded in 1920–25; porphyr(in) + -ia

Example Sentences

Prof David Rees, the director of the King's College Hospital National Acute Porphyria Service, told the BBC: "To find a drug that really does transform people's lives is extraordinary."

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2021

Robert Browning didn’t kill Porphyria in “Porphyria’s Lover.”

From The New Yorker • Feb. 8, 2016

She suffers from Variegate Porphyria, a disorder that limits the amount of oxygen in her blood and can cause seizures and painful intestinal issues.

From Washington Times • Feb. 3, 2016

Porphyria was unknown in clinical jargon before the 20th century, and is still not fully understood.

From Time Magazine Archive

Be sure I look'd up at her eyes   Happy and proud; at last I knew Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise   Made my heart swell, and still it grew   While I debated what to do.

From Bulchevy's Book of English Verse by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir