lupus

¹

[loo-puhs]

noun

Pathology.

1. lupus vulgaris.

2. systemic lupus erythematosus.

Lupus

²

[loo-puhs]

noun

Astronomy.

genitive

Lupi 

1. the Wolf, a southern constellation between Centaurus and Norma.

lupus

¹

/ ˈluːpəs /

noun

1. any of various ulcerative skin diseases

Lupus

²

/ ˈluːpəs /

noun

1. a constellation in the S hemisphere lying between Centaurus and Ara

lupus

1. See systemic lupus erythematosus

lupus

1. An autoimmune disease that tends to strike women more frequently than men. The disease attacks the body's connective tissues.

Usage

In current usage the word lupus alone is generally understood to signify lupus vulgaris, lupus erythematosus being normally referred to in full or by the abbreviation LE

Other Word Forms

• lupous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lupus¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin, special use of Latin lupus “wolf”

Origin of lupus²

From Latin

Word History and Origins

Origin of lupus¹

C16: via Medieval Latin from Latin: wolf; said to be so called because it rapidly eats away the affected part

Example Sentences

These potentially disabling and often poorly understood conditions—including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Type 1 diabetes—occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells and tissues.

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When scientists studied women with such diseases, they often found fetal cells in the affected organs: the skin in scleroderma, the liver in biliary cirrhosis, the joints in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

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Early research indicates that it might even help prevent autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis, though more studies are needed to confirm this.

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Roche said the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved its Gazyva drug for the treatment of adults receiving standard therapy for a form of lupus that targets the kidneys.

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They are also working with a local biotech company to test CAR-NK cells to treat lupus, an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs.

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