Mycetoma
/ˌmaɪsɪˈtoʊmə/noun
A chronic fungal or bacterial infection that causes swelling, draining sinuses, and granular tissue, usually in the foot or other extremities.
Did you know?Mycetoma was named from Greek mykēs (“fungus”), and the term originally described the fungal-looking grains in the discharge, even though some cases are caused by bacteria rather than fungi.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mýkēs / mykḗt-
“fungus, mushroom”
Late Greek
Greek
-ōma
“a swelling or tumor”
19th Century
Medical Latin / English
mycetoma
“a fungus-like swelling or tumor with grains and draining sinuses”
Modern English
English
mycetoma
“a chronic infectious disease of the skin and underlying tissues”