Dermatitis
/ˌdɜːr.məˈtaɪ.tɪs/noun
Inflammation of the skin.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek medical language, where -itis became the standard ending for inflammatory diseases—so every time you say it, you’re using a 2,000-year-old diagnostic spell.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
derma
“skin”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-itis
“inflammation, diseased condition”
Late Latin
Latin
dermatitis
“a skin inflammation”
19th Century
English
dermatitis
“a medical term for inflammation of the skin”
Modern English
English
dermatitis
“inflammation of the skin”
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