Psoriasis
/səˈraɪ.ə.sɪs/noun
A chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes patches of thick, scaly skin.
Did you know?Ancient Greek physicians used the root psōra for itching or mange, long before psoriasis was understood as an immune-mediated disease.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ψώρα (psṓra)
“Itch, mange, or a scabby skin condition”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ψωρίασις (psōríāsis)
“A condition characterized by itching or a skin eruption”
Late Antiquity
Greek
psoriasis
“Medical term for a scaly or itchy skin disease”
17th Century
New Latin
psoriasis
“A recognized dermatological disease name in learned medical Latin”
Modern English
English
psoriasis
“A chronic inflammatory skin disorder producing scaly plaques”