fifth disease

[ fifth di-zeez ]
/ ˈfɪfθ dɪˌziz /

noun

Pathology. a mild infection, most often seen in children or young adults, caused by a small virus (the human parvovirus B19) and marked by a blotchy rash on the cheeks, arms, and legs.
Also called er·y·the·ma in·fec·ti·o·sum [er-uh-thee-muh in-fek-shee-oh-suh m] /ˌɛr əˈθi mə ɪnˌfɛk ʃiˈoʊ səm/

Origin of fifth disease

so called because it was the fifth in a classification scheme of childhood eruptive diseases

Words nearby fifth disease

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British Dictionary definitions for fifth disease

fifth disease

noun

a mild infectious disease of childhood, caused by a virus, characterized by fever and a red rash spreading from the cheeks to the limbs and trunk Also called: slapped-cheek disease Technical name: erythema infectiosum

Word Origin for fifth disease

C20: from its being among the five most common childhood infections

Medical definitions for fifth disease

fifth disease

n.

erythema infectiosum