lesion
Americannoun
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an injury; hurt; wound.
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Pathology. any localized, abnormal structural change in the body.
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Plant Pathology. any localized, defined area of diseased tissue, as a spot, canker, blister, or scab.
verb (used with object)
noun
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any structural change in a bodily part resulting from injury or disease
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an injury or wound
Etymology
Origin of lesion
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin laesiōn-, stem of laesiō “injury,” from Latin laes(us) “harmed” (past participle of laedere “to harm”) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A lesion is an injury to the living tissue on your body, like your skin or an organ. Usually a lesion involves a break or wound to the skin, so protect it with a bandage so that it heals quickly. Lesion, pronounced "LEE-zhun," comes from the Latin word laesionem meaning "injury." Lesions on the skin are usually not very nice to look at, the kind of wounds that might make you grimace — things like open sores, cuts, deep scrapes or puss-filled gashes. Lesions also are a concern of doctors because if lesions develop without explanation, it can be a sign that your immune system is dangerously weak.
Vocabulary lists containing lesion
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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Feed
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Psychology
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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.
"It is a common lesion, caused by sun exposure," Abdalla said.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
The cause, he later said, was a lesion on the part of the brain that controls anxiety.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
He sat directly across from me, fixed me with a professional gaze, and said, “I’ve got the results of your MRI. There’s a lesion on your hip.”
From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026
His injury, known as a Morel-Lavallée lesion, is a rare degloving condition in which skin and fat become separated from fascia tissue, leaving a fluid-filled space.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
And she keeps jolting each time she scrapes the edge of the lesion.
From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson
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.
