ophthalmia

[of-thal-mee-uh, op-]

noun

inflammation of the eye, especially of its membranes or external structures.

Origin of ophthalmia

1350–1400; < Late Latin < Greek ophthalmía, equivalent to ophthalm(ós) eye + -ia -ia; replacing Middle English obtalmia < Medieval Latin, Late Latin as above

Related formsoph·thal·mi·ac

[of-thal-mee-ak, op-] /ɒfˈθæl miˌæk, ɒp-/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ophthalmia

Historical Examples of ophthalmia

All he could conclude was that it was not ophthalmia or trachoma.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
Apis is no less efficacious against the higher grades of ophthalmia.
Apis Mellifica
C. W. Wolf
His cheeks were sunken, and the eyes, though bright, were disfigured by ophthalmia.
Darkness and Dawn
Frederic W. Farrar
They often suffer from ophthalmia, though not in the virulent Egyptian form.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3
Various
Ophthalmia is common and sometimes will attack whole tribes.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 3
Various

British Dictionary definitions for ophthalmia

ophthalmia

noun

inflammation of the eye, often including the conjunctiva

Word Origin for ophthalmia

C16: via Late Latin from Greek, from ophthalmos eye; see optic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ophthalmia

"inflammation of the eye, conjunctivitis," late 14c., from Medieval Latin obtalmia, Old French obtalmie, from Late Latin ophthalmia, or directly from Greek ophthalmia, from ophthalmos (see ophthalmo-) + -ia.

ophthalmia in Medicine

ophthalmia

[ŏf-thăl′mē-ə, ŏp-]

Severe, often purulent conjunctivitis.
Inflammation of the deep eye structures.ophthalmitis