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pruritus

American  
[proo-rahy-tuhs] / prʊˈraɪ təs /

noun

Pathology.
  1. itching.


pruritus British  
/ prʊəˈraɪtəs /

noun

  1. any intense sensation of itching

  2. any of various conditions characterized by intense itching

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of pruritus

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin prūrītus an itching, equivalent to prūrī ( re ) to itch + -tus suffix of v. action


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Linerixibat—which isn’t currently approved anywhere in the world—is a treatment for cholestatic pruritus, an internal itch caused by a liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026

The study involved a total of 20 patients, half of whom had prurigo nodularis and half of whom had chronic pruritus of unknown origin.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 6, 2024

And people with pruritus ani, the technical term for itchy anus, are often cautioned to avoid toilet paper, leading them to bidets.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021

Earlier versions of this article, including the May 17, 2011 print edition of The Washington Post, incorrectly referred to aquagenic pruritus as aquagenic pruritis.

From Washington Post ● May 16, 2011

Among the more prominent symptoms were intense pruritus, transient flushing and heat of the entire surface, with pricking sensations and headache.

From The Electric Bath by George M. Schweig

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