petechia

American  

[pi-tee-kee-uh, -tek-ee-uh] / pɪˈti ki ə, -ˈtɛk i ə /

noun

Pathology.

plural

petechiae

1. a minute, round, nonraised hemorrhage in the skin or in a mucous or serous membrane.

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petechia British  

/ pɪˈtiːkɪə /

noun

1. a minute discoloured spot on the surface of the skin or mucous membrane, caused by an underlying ruptured blood vessel

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Other Word Forms

• petechial adjective

Etymology

Origin of petechia

1575–85; < New Latin < Italian petecchia (in plural) rash, spots on skin < Vulgar Latin *( im ) petīcula, equivalent to Latin impetīc-, stem of impetīx, variant of impetīgō impetigo + -ula -ule

Example Sentences

But Strack said detectives commonly failed to document physical signs that the crime occurred, such as petechiae or drooping eyelids, which might support the felony charge.

From Washington Post

The specks, he learned, were called petechiae, from a 17th-century Italian word for freckles.

From New York Times

In the autopsy report, Denton identified light blanching on the tip of Jayden's nose and tiny dots on his eyelids, cheeks and elsewhere — burst blood vessels called petechiae.

From Salon

But in August 2020, before her freshman year, Lam noticed spots popping up on her skin, called petechiae.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Ms. Neckelmann, three days after her husband got the vaccine, he developed tiny reddish spots, or petechiae, caused by bleeding under the skin of his hands and feet.

From New York Times