Xanthoma
/zænˈθoʊ.mə/noun
A yellowish deposit of fatty material in the skin or tendons.
Did you know?The word is built from Greek *xanthos* (“yellow”) plus *-oma* (“tumor/mass”), and that same *xanth-* root also appears in scientific words for yellow pigments and colors.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ξανθός (xanthós)
“yellow, tawny, blond”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-ωμα (-ōma)
“a mass, swelling, or tumor”
Late 19th Century
Medical Latin / English
xanthoma
“a yellowish skin lesion or deposit, especially one associated with lipid disorders”
Modern English
English
xanthoma
“a yellowish deposit of fatty material in the skin or tendons”
Explore more surprising origins