pe·te·chi·a (p -t  k-)n. pl. pe·te·chi·ae (-k -  ) A small purplish spot on a body surface, such as the skin or a mucous membrane, caused by a minute hemorrhage and often seen in typhus. [New Latin, from Italian petecchie, pl. of petecchia, spot on skin, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *pet cula, short for *impetcula, diminutive of Latin impetx, impetc-, variant of impetg ; see impetigo.]pe·te chi·al adj.pe·te chi·ate (- t) adj. |
petechia [pɪˈtiːkɪə]
n pl -chiae [-kɪˌiː]
(Medicine / Pathology) a minute discoloured spot on the surface of the skin or mucous membrane, caused by an underlying ruptured blood vessel
[via New Latin from Italian petecchia freckle, of obscure origin]
petechial adj
Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|