paronychia

[par-uh-nik-ee-uh]

noun Pathology.

inflammation of the folds of skin bordering a nail of a finger or toe, usually characterized by infection and pus formation; felon.

Origin of paronychia

1590–1600; < Latin parōnychia < Greek parōnychía whitlow, equivalent to par- par- + onych- (stem of ónyx) claw, nail + -ia -ia

Related formspar·o·nych·i·al, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for paronychia

Historical Examples of paronychia

They occur normally in the sepals of Paronychia serpyllifolia and other plants.
Vegetable Teratology
Maxwell T. Masters
The absence of acute inflammatory symptoms in the first variety distinguishes it from paronychia, whitlow, and gout.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II
Various
Hence light is as intolerable in this kind of ophthalmia, as pressure is to the finger in the paronychia.
Zoonomia, Vol. I
Erasmus Darwin

Word Origin and History for paronychia

inflammation beside a fingernail, 1590s, from Latin, from Greek paronykhia "whitlow," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + onyx "nail" (see nail (n.)).

paronychia in Medicine

paronychia

[păr′ə-nĭk′ē-ə]

Inflammation of the tissue surrounding a nail.

Related formspar′o•nych′i•al adj.