Chlorosis
/klɔːˈroʊsɪs/noun
A condition marked by abnormal paleness, especially from iron deficiency in plants or anemia in humans.
Did you know?Chlorosis ultimately comes from Greek khlōros, a word that could mean pale green, yellow-green, or even ghostly pallor, which is why it was once used for a wasting anemia called the “green sickness.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
khlōrós
“pale green, greenish-yellow, fresh, sallow, or ghastly pale”
Ancient Greek
Greek
khlōrōsis
“greening or becoming pale green; a condition of pallor”
Late Latin
Latin
chlorōsis
“a medical term for a pale or greenish wasting condition”
16th–17th Century
English
chlorosis
“a disease causing a greenish pallor, especially in young women; 'green sickness'”
Modern English
English
chlorosis
“a form of chlorophyll deficiency in plants or a pale, anemic condition in humans”
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