ulcer

[ uhl-ser ]

/ ˈʌl sər /

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noun

Pathology. a sore on the skin or a mucous membrane, accompanied by the disintegration of tissue, the formation of pus, etc.

peptic ulcer.

any chronically corrupting or disrupting condition, element, etc.

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Origin of ulcer

1350–1400; Middle English <Latin ulcer- (stem of ulcus); akin to Greek hélkos

OTHER WORDS FROM ulcer

an·ti·ul·cer, adjective

Words nearby ulcer

Ulan Bator, Ulanova, Ulan Ude, Ulbricht, ULCC, ulcer, ulcerate, ulceration, ulcerative, ulcerative colitis, ulcerogenic

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

MORE ABOUT ULCER

What does ulcer mean?

An ulcer is a sore on the skin or on a mucous membrane, such as the lining of your stomach. If left untreated, ulcers can result in serious health problems, such as inflammation or death of tissues.

Ulcers in the stomach are fairly common in Western countries. They are generally easy to treat but can become serious if not treated.

Example: The doctor discovered that an ulcer was causing my stomach pain.

Where does ulcer come from?

The first records for the word ulcer come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Latin ulcus, meaning “a sore or ulcer.”

The most common variety of ulcer is the peptic ulcer, which occurs in the stomach or small intestine. Symptoms of ulcers include nausea, heartburn, and pain.

Ulcers by themselves are not usually serious and can easily be cured with antibiotics. However, if not treated, they can lead to more serious problems, such as holes in the stomach tissue or infections.

It was once thought that ulcers were caused by stress or acids. Today we now know that ulcers are caused by bacteria or as a side effect of certain medicines, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs.

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What are some other forms related to ulcer?

antiulcer (adjective)

What are some synonyms for ulcer?

What are some words that share a root or word element with ulcer?

What are some words that often get used in discussing ulcer?

How is ulcer used in real life?

Ulcers are not fun at all and will result in a trip to the doctor.

Anyone have some helpful remedies for an ulcer? Cuz I feel like I'm gonna die but can't go to the doctor 😞

— s h e l b z Δ (@shelbydee6) June 11, 2020

Just saw a doctor about a possible ulcer who told me to avoid coffee and alcohol. :( So then I promptly went to Starbucks.

— Richelle Mead (@RichelleMead) May 1, 2015

Ulcer pain!!!Terrible,worst 😭😭🤮

— FALI-YOUR JEWELRY VENDOR⛓ (@mz_deruntee) June 13, 2020

Try using ulcer!

True or False?

A peptic ulcer is a sore in your stomach.

How to use ulcer in a sentence

Some studies have found that excess salt brings on ulcers, infections, and may even hasten stomach cancer.
What happens if you eat too much salt?|Alexandra Ossola|August 23, 2021|Popular-Science
Melioidosis infections can present like an infected wound, with swelling or ulcers at the exposure site, but they can also occur in the lungs, the bloodstream or widely spread throughout the body.
CDC probes how people contracted a dangerous infection found in the tropics — without leaving the U.S.|Katie Shepherd|July 1, 2021|Washington Post
Three months after they appeared, the ulcers completely cleared up, leaving Gaither to wonder what really caused them.
Flesh-eating parasites are on the rise in the US|Purbita Saha|June 22, 2021|Popular-Science
A lot of times people equate their abdominal pain with having an ulcer.
Ibuprofen and ulcers: What Rep. Debbie Dingell’s emergency surgery can teach us|Allyson Chiu|May 26, 2021|Washington Post

But, experts said, the belief that certain foods and carbonated or acidic beverages can cause or worsen ulcers is a common misconception.
Ibuprofen and ulcers: What Rep. Debbie Dingell’s emergency surgery can teach us|Allyson Chiu|May 26, 2021|Washington Post
Indeed, Rep. Paul Ryan may talk a good game about the poor, but his policies still give social-justice advocates an ulcer.
How This Pope Is Remaking the GOP|Michelle Cottle|April 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The doctors suspected a heart issue or an ulcer and recommended he follow up with his regular physician.
No Answers in Death of Technician Linked to Andrew Breitbart|Christine Pelisek|November 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Talk about a Super Tuesday designed to give all parties involved a massive ulcer.
Super Tuesday: Mitt Romney’s Senior Citizen Surge|Michelle Cottle|March 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Buffered and enteric-coated aspirin do not eliminate the risk of developing an ulcer.
Could a Daily Aspirin Be Deadly?|Arthur Agatston, M.D.|February 23, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Except in gastric ulcer, the danger lies in the retching produced, and the tube can safely be used if the patient takes it easily.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
When found in the fluid removed after a test-meal, it commonly points toward ulcer or carcinoma.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Recognition of occult hemorrhage has its greatest value in diagnosis of gastric cancer and ulcer.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
And among others, Sir J. Denham he told me he had cured, after it was come to an ulcer all over his face, to a miracle.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
It chanced one day, when he was fifteen, he went into the woods, and the ulcer pained him.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume XXI|Robert Louis Stevenson

British Dictionary definitions for ulcer

ulcer

/ (ˈʌlsə) /

noun

a disintegration of the surface of the skin or a mucous membrane resulting in an open sore that heals very slowlySee also peptic ulcer

a source or element of corruption or evil

Word Origin for ulcer

C14: from Latin ulcus; related to Greek helkos a sore

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

Scientific definitions for ulcer

ulcer

[ ŭl′sər ]

A break in the skin or a mucous membrane, such as the one lining the stomach or duodenum, accompanied by inflammation, pus, and loss of tissue.

Cultural definitions for ulcer

ulcer

[ (ul-suhr) ]

An inflamed open sore on the skin or mucous membrane. An ulcer may form in the inner lining of the stomach or duodenum, interfere with digestion, and cause considerable pain.

notes for ulcer

It used to be thought that stress was the cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers, but we now know that they are caused by bacteria and can be cured by antibiotics.

ulcer

COMPARE MEANINGS

Origin of ulcer

OTHER WORDS FROM ulcer

Words nearby ulcer

MORE ABOUT ULCER

What does ulcer mean?

Where does ulcer come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is ulcer used in real life?

Try using ulcer!

Words related to ulcer

How to use ulcer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ulcer

Word Origin for ulcer

Scientific definitions for ulcer

Cultural definitions for ulcer

notes for ulcer