eczema

American  

[ek-suh-muh, eg-zuh-, ig-zee-] / ˈɛk sə mə, ˈɛg zə-, ɪgˈzi- /

noun

Pathology.

• eczemas
  plural

1. an inflammatory condition of the skin attended with itching and the exudation of serous matter.

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eczema British  

/ ɪɡˈziːmə, ˈɛksɪmə /

noun

1. pathol a skin inflammation with lesions that scale, crust, or ooze a serous fluid, often accompanied by intense itching or burning

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eczema Scientific  

/ ĕk′sə-mə /

1. An acute or chronic noncontagious inflammation of the skin, often caused by allergy and characterized by itching, scaling, and blistering.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• eczematous
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• eczemas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of eczema

First recorded in 1745–55; from New Latin, from Greek ékzema, from ek- ec- + ze- (stem of zeîn “to boil, ferment”) + -ma, noun suffix

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Explanation

Eczema refers to several skin conditions in which the skin is inflamed and usually itchy. If your skin is red, sore, itchy, or starting to discharge pus, you might have eczema: a condition of the skin that's not very pleasant. This isn't a single disease, but can refer to any skin condition that's not contagious and involves inflammation or the formation of pustules. Eczema isn't a dangerous condition, but it doesn't look or feel good. If you have eczema, a dermatologist — a doctor who specializes in the skin — can help.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eczema eczemas

She began cooking everything from scratch after realizing that eating highly processed foods was contributing to her eczema flare-ups.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

Overall, the results showed no association between acetaminophen or ibuprofen and eczema or bronchiolitis.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Steroids - also called corticosteroids - are medicines used to treat a range of conditions such as eczema and asthma.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

AbbVie’s blockbuster drug Rinvoq is approved for use in several autoimmune diseases, including eczema.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

I find pediatric sick-visit reports for rashes, allergies, eczema, colds, fevers, and two ear infections, all before I was four months old.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

In my personal experience I have invariably seen the eczemas of children made worse by measles.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

The commonest form of inflammation of the skin is called eczema, and eight-tenths of all eczemas are due to some mild germ, and can be cured by the appropriate poison for it.

From A Handbook of Health by Woods Hutchinson

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