jaundice

American  

[jawn-dis, jahn-] / ˈdʒɔn dɪs, ˈdʒɑn- /

noun

• jaundices
  plural

1. Also called icterus.  Pathology. yellow discoloration of the skin, whites of the eyes, etc., due to an increase of bile pigments in the blood, often symptomatic of certain diseases, as hepatitis.

2. grasserie.

3. a state of feeling in which views are prejudiced or judgment is distorted, as by envy or resentment.

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verb (used with object)

jaundiced, jaundicing

1. to distort or prejudice, as by envy or resentment.

   His social position jaundiced his view of things.

jaundice British  

/ ˈdʒɔːndɪs /

noun

1. Also called: icterus.  yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes due to the abnormal presence of bile pigments in the blood, as in hepatitis

2. a mental state of bitterness, jealousy, and ill humour resulting in distorted judgment

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verb

1. to distort (the judgment, etc) adversely

   jealousy had jaundiced his mind

2. to affect with or as if with jaundice

jaundice Scientific  

/ jôn′dĭs /

1. Yellowish discoloration of the whites of the eyes, skin, or mucous membranes caused by the deposition of bile salts in these tissues, occurring as a sign of disorders that interfere with normal metabolism or transport of bile. Liver diseases such as hepatitis commonly cause jaundice.

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jaundice Cultural  

1. A condition in which the skin, the whites of the eye, and other tissues take on a yellowish color because of an excess of bile coloring in the blood.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• jaundiced
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• jaundices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of jaundice

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English jaundis, from Old French jaunisse, from jaune “yellow” (from Latin galbinus “greenish-yellow”) + -isse -ice

Explanation

Jaundice is a medical condition that causes a slight yellowing of the skin. Many newborn babies are diagnosed with slight jaundice and need to spend time in the sunlight every day for a few weeks. A patient with jaundice looks a little yellow, a condition that's caused by excess pigmentation due to deficiencies in the liver or bile duct. One common medical cause of jaundice is hepatitis, a liver condition. Another meaning of jaundice is the distortion of opinions due especially to envy or resentment: "I hope my winning another acting award won't jaundice your feelings about being in plays." The Latin root is galbinus, "greenish yellow," a color once associated with bitterness and envy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jaundice jaundices jaundiced jaundicing

As the Aedes aegypti mosquito expanded its range across more of the Americas, it brought with it the delirium, jaundice, and aching joints of yellow fever.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

By the time a patient experiences signs, such as jaundice – a yellowing of the skin – or abdominal pain, the cancer has often already spread to other organs.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

Among adults, infection usually results in symptoms, with jaundice occurring in more than 70% of patients, according to the CDC.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2025

But the WHO warns that about 15% of people face a second, more serious phase involving high fever, jaundice, bleeding and deteriorating kidney function.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2025

A gall-bladder attack or a liver abscess could cause fever and jaundice and abdominal pain—the red eyes she could not explain—and she ordered an ultrasound examination of his liver.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

And thus they go on to the end of their term of life, full of their own fixed ideas, with their eyes full of beams and jaundices and darkness and death. 

From Bunyan Characters (3rd Series) by Alexander Whyte

In summary, we are viewing the failure of SPX to be able to convincingly push through to new all-time highs with a jaundiced eye.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026

Mr. Coen’s view of the contemporary dating scene seems both jaundiced and out of touch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025

Grant Olding has written the songs that set the play’s mood, a mischievous Joe Orton-esque ambiance, only less jaundiced and more childlike.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025

The proposed legislation is aimed at improving cat welfare, but some jaundiced city residents need convincing.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2024

Above them, the sun was a jaundiced eye.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

It was a clash of temperaments hopelessly at odds, in which the spoken word weighed little beside the mute antipathy jaundicing the mind.

From The Henchman by Mark Lee Luther

Related Words

• bias
• color
• distort
• predispose
• prejudice
• prepossess