sunburn

[suhn-burn]

noun

1. inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun or a sunlamp.

verb (used with or without object)

sunburned, sunburnt, sunburning. 

1. to affect or be affected with sunburn.

   An hour in the sun sunburned me severely. I sunburn easily.

sunburn

/ ˈsʌnˌbɜːn /

noun

1. Technical name: erythema solare. inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun

2. another word for suntan

Other Word Forms

• unsunburned adjective
• unsunburnt adjective
• well-sunburned adjective
• well-sunburnt adjective
• sunburnt adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sunburn¹

First recorded in 1520–30; sun + burn ¹

Example Sentences

UV radiation can injure DNA and generate oxidative stress in skin cells, which in turn triggers inflammation that causes the familiar redness, pain, and blistering of sunburn.

Read more on Science Daily

The men laughed as she stumbled about, ever more sunburned.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Four hours later, sunburned and more winded than I like to admit, I reached a hamlet where I later hitched a ride back to the city.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They ended up winning the whole thing, beating some of the nation’s best teams, despite the fact they’d stayed up late playing Heads Up and were sunburned from a beach visit the day before.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He shook one sunburned finger at my hat and yelled, “Traitor! Traitor!” his face red with rage, or possibly alcohol — who knew?

Read more on Salon