Xerosis
/zɪˈroʊsɪs/noun
Abnormal dryness, especially of the skin or eyes.
Did you know?Xerosis is built from Greek xēros, the same root behind scientific words like xeric and xerography, so a clinical diagnosis and a photocopy machine secretly share an ancient “dry” lineage.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
xērós
“dry”
Late Greek
Greek
xērōsis
“a drying up; abnormal dryness”
Medieval Latin
Latin
xerosis
“dryness, especially of the body or eyes”
Modern English
English
xerosis
“abnormal dryness, especially of the skin or eyes”
Explore more surprising origins