blackhead

[blak-hed]

noun

1. a small, black-tipped, fatty mass in a skin follicle, especially of the face; comedo.

2. any of several birds having a head that is black, as the greater scaup, Aythya marila.

3. Also called enterohepatitis. Veterinary Pathology.,  a malignant, infectious disease of turkeys, chickens, and many wild birds, caused by a protozoan parasite, Histomonas meleagridas, attacking especially the intestines and liver, and often characterized by a darkening of the skin on the head.

blackhead

/ ˈblækˌhɛd /

noun

1. Technical name: comedo. a black-tipped plug of fatty matter clogging a pore of the skin, esp the duct of a sebaceous gland

2. Technical name: infectious enterohepatitis. an infectious and often fatal disease of turkeys and some other fowl caused by the parasitic protozoa Histomonas meleagridis

3. any of various birds, esp gulls or ducks, with black plumage on the head

Word History and Origins

Origin of blackhead¹

First recorded in 1650–60; black + head

Example Sentences

A herder moves his goats and blackhead Persian sheep to market in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

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Then came my least favorite part of any facial: extraction, or the process of clearing clogged pores by pushing out blackheads and whiteheads.

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Its appearance can vary, ranging from whiteheads and blackheads to pustules and nodules, mainly on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders.

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It was revealed she was an avid watcher of YouTube videos on blackhead removal and Dr Pimple Popper and had watched more than 300 clips between October 2019 and August 2021.

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Acne is a common skin condition characterised by blackheads, whiteheads and pus-filled spots.

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Related Words

• blot 
• blotch 
• bruise 
• discoloration 
• freckle 
• imperfection 
• pimple 
• scar 
• smudge 
• snag 
• stain 
• stigma 
• wart