scrofula

[ skrof-yuh-luh ]

/ ˈskrɒf yə lə /

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noun Pathology.

primary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, especially those of the neck.

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Origin of scrofula

1350–1400; Middle English (plural) <Late Latin scrōfulae (Latin scrōf(a) sow + -ulae (plural) -ule), from the belief that breeding sows were susceptible

Words nearby scrofula

scrive board, scrivener, scrobble, scrobiculate, scrod, scrofula, scrofulous, scrog, scroggin, scroll, scroll foot

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use scrofula in a sentence

Used as a drastic hydragogue in dropsies; and in scrofula, &c.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
The kings of England and France long pretended to possess the power of curing scrofula by touching the sore.
The Mysteries of All Nations|James Grant
Mrs. A., infected with scrofula of the left breast, and in a state of ulceration, applied to me two years since.
Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men, and by Experience in All Ages|William Andrus Alcott
Some of the first paragraphs relate to the effects of vegetable food on those who are predisposed to scrofula, consumption, etc.
Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men, and by Experience in All Ages|William Andrus Alcott

Thus it is ordinarily prohibited by consumption, scrofula, skin affections of long standing, and cancer.
The Physical Life of Woman:|Dr. George H Napheys

British Dictionary definitions for scrofula

scrofula

/ (ˈskrɒfjʊlə) /

noun

pathol (no longer in technical use) tuberculosis of the lymphatic glandsAlso called (formerly): the king's evil

Word Origin for scrofula

C14: from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin scrōfulae swollen glands in the neck, literally: little sows (sows were thought to be particularly prone to the disease), from Latin scrōfa sow

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