jaundice

American  

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

noun

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

• jaundiced
  adjective

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

But some people can experience jaundice, dark urine, feeling very tired, nausea, vomiting and pain in the abdomen.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Symptoms in humans may include fever, headache, muscle aches, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea and skin rash.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 19, 2025

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

The project is named after Vietnamese-born British disability advocate, Oscar Anderson, whose untreated jaundice caused his cerebral palsy.

From BBC • Jan. 7, 2025

In the summer of 1862, he suffered from fever, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, and jaundice, losing more than forty pounds.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

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