pruritus

American  

[proo-rahy-tuhs] / prʊˈraɪ təs /

noun

Pathology.

1. itching.

---

pruritus British  

/ prʊəˈraɪtəs, prʊəˈrɪtɪk /

noun

1. any intense sensation of itching

2. any of various conditions characterized by intense itching

---

Other Word Forms

• pruritic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pruritus

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin prūrītus an itching, equivalent to prūrī ( re ) to itch + -tus suffix of v. action

Example Sentences

Linerixibat—which isn’t currently approved anywhere in the world—is a treatment for cholestatic pruritus, an internal itch caused by a liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis.

From The Wall Street Journal

The study involved a total of 20 patients, half of whom had prurigo nodularis and half of whom had chronic pruritus of unknown origin.

From Science Daily

That can cause pruritus — the medical term for itch — though not usually this severe.

From New York Times

Mosquito bites are the most common source of acute itch — or pruritus, in doctor-speak.

From Washington Post

The last dermatologist thought he might have scabies — tiny mites barely visible to the naked eye that can live on the body and cause intense itching, or pruritus.

From New York Times