scleroderma

scle·ro·der·ma  (sklîr-dûrm)

n.

A pathological thickening and hardening of the skin.

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scleroderma [ˌsklɪərəʊˈdɜːmə], sclerodermia [ˌsklɪərəʊˈdɜːmɪə], scleriasis [sklɪˈraɪəsɪs]

n

(Medicine / Pathology) a chronic progressive disease most common among women, characterized by a local or diffuse thickening and hardening of the skin

[from New Latin sclerōdermus, from Greek, from sklēros hard + derma skin]

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scleroderma  (sklîr-dûrm)

A connective tissue disease characterized by the deposition of fibrous tissue into the skin and often other organs, causing tissue hardening and thickening.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	scleroderma - an autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissue; fibrous connective tissue is deposited in the skin dermatosclerosis autoimmune disease, autoimmune disorder - any of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissues morphea - localized scleroderma
	2.	Scleroderma - genus of poisonous fungi having hard-skinned fruiting bodies: false truffles genus Scleroderma fungus genus - includes lichen genera family Sclerodermataceae, Sclerodermataceae - a family of fungi or order Sclerodermatales with a single-layered peridium; includes earthballs earthball, hard-skinned puffball, puffball, false truffle - any of various fungi of the genus Scleroderma having hard-skinned subterranean fruiting bodies resembling truffles Scleroderma aurantium, Scleroderma citrinum - an earthball fungus that is a dingy brownish yellow and a dark purplish interior; the peridium is covered with a pattern of small warts Scleroderma flavidium, star earthball - an earthball with a smooth upper surface that is at first buried in sand; the top of the fruiting body opens up to form segments like the ray of an umbel Scleroderma bovista, smooth earthball - an earthball with a peridium that is firm dry and smooth when young but developing cracks when mature; pale orange-yellow when young and reddish brown at maturity