pimple
Americannoun
noun
-
a small round usually inflamed swelling of the skin
-
any of the bumps on the surface of a table tennis bat
Usage
What does pimple mean? A pimple is a small inflammation or swelling of the skin that may or may not be filled with pus.Pimples are caused by acne, a skin condition in which the skin’s sebaceous glands become clogged and inflamed.Pimples are most commonly found on the face, but they can appear on other areas of the skin, such as the neck and back. They are most common among teens and preteens due to changes in body chemistry during the period of development known as puberty, but adults can also get pimples.An even more informal term for a pimple is zit. The informal terms whitehead and blackhead are used to refer to specific kinds of pimples. Technical terms for types of pimples include pustule and papule.Example: My skin is naturally oily, so I have to buy a specific face wash to prevent pimples.
Other Word Forms
- pimpled adjective
- pimpliness noun
- pimply adjective
Etymology
Origin of pimple
1350–1400; Middle English, nasalized variant of Old English *pypel (whence pyplian to break out in pimples) < Latin papula pimple
Compare meaning
How does pimple compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Whatever void she felt then is long gone, since the beagle has become a pop culture darling, adorning all manner of merchandise — from pimple patches to luxury handbags.
From Los Angeles Times
“I am glad to hear it. For how could Lord Ashton and I take a pleasant turn in a carriage of a Sunday, if our horses were not properly shod— eek! Is that a pimple?”
From Literature
In males, it grows from a small cluster of cells into a little white pimple that elongates between the eyes.
From Science Daily
The list of Korean beauty trends that have been adopted as staples around the world is long: BB creams, ampoules, face masks and pimple patches.
From Los Angeles Times
The ensuing debate eventually saw the launch of an annual Carbuncle Award for the most dismal town in Scotland and a trophy featuring a plook - a Scottish word for pimple - fashioned out of Play-Doh.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
