purpura

American  

[pur-pyoor-uh] / ˈpɜr pjʊər ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a disease characterized by purple or brownish-red spots on the skin or mucous membranes, caused by the extravasation of blood.

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purpura British  

/ ˈpɜːpjʊrə /

noun

1. pathol any of several blood diseases causing purplish spots or patches on the skin due to subcutaneous bleeding

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Other Word Forms

• purpuric
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of purpura

1680–90; < New Latin, special use of Latin purpura. See purple

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

purpura

Meanwhile, Cablivi addresses a rare blood clotting disorder, acquired or immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, Sanofi said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025

These ailments include myocarditis, neuromyelitis optica, primary membranous nephropathy and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 8, 2021

Complications such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura have been reported in Zika cases before, but patients usually recover.

From MSNBC ● Apr. 29, 2016

The depiction of things like fever and thrombocytic cytopenic purpura are not nearly as cinematically interesting as a virus that turns you into a greasepaint-caked harridan with a mindless craving for human flesh.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2011

Variously-sized, shaped and tinted spots and discolorations, without elevation or depression; as, for example, freckles, spots of purpura, macules of cutaneous syphilis.

From Essentials of Diseases of the Skin Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine by Henry Weightman Stelwagon

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