pinkeye
Americannoun
noun
-
Also called: acute conjunctivitis. an acute contagious inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye, characterized by redness, discharge, etc: usually caused by bacterial infection
-
Also called: infectious keratitis. a similar condition affecting the cornea of horses and cattle
Usage
What is pinkeye? Pinkeye is the common name for conjunctivitis and occasionally used as a slang term for other things. Pinkeye is often spelled as two words: pink eye.
Etymology
Origin of pinkeye
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.
The couple’s son got pinkeye and the flu at the same time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026
The person’s only symptom was conjunctivitis, or pinkeye.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2024
Some advocates and school systems — and the state of California — are now encouraging kids to come to class even when they have the sniffles or other nuisance illnesses like lice or pinkeye.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
Typical maladies include upset stomach, respiratory ailments, pinkeye, earaches, meningitis, hepatitis and even neurological disorders.
From Fox News ● Jul. 27, 2021
“Nice try, Lonnie,” Mr. Crabtree said, “but you don’t have asthma. I know who all has asthma. I know who has pinkeye and poison ivy and athlete’s foot, also coughs and colds and nervous stomachs.”
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
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.
