petechia

[ pi-tee-kee-uh, -tek-ee-uh ]
/ pɪˈti ki ə, -ˈtɛk i ə /

noun, plural pe·te·chi·ae [pi-tee-kee-ee, -tek-ee-ee] /pɪˈti kiˌi, -ˈtɛk iˌi/. Pathology.

a minute, round, nonraised hemorrhage in the skin or in a mucous or serous membrane.

Origin of petechia

1575–85; < New Latin < Italian petecchia (in plural) rash, spots on skin < Vulgar Latin *( im)petīcula, equivalent to Latin impetīc-, stem of impetīx, variant of impetīgō impetigo + -ula -ule

Words nearby petechia

petasus, petaurist, petavius, petcock, pete, petechia, petechial, petechial hemorrhage, petechiate, peteman, peter

British Dictionary definitions for petechia

petechia
/ (pɪˈtiːkɪə) /

noun plural -chiae (-kɪˌiː)

a minute discoloured spot on the surface of the skin or mucous membrane, caused by an underlying ruptured blood vessel

Derived forms of petechia

petechial, adjective

Word Origin for petechia

C18: via New Latin from Italian petecchia freckle, of obscure origin

Medical definitions for petechia

petechia
[ pə-tē′kē-ə ]

n. pl. pe•te•chi•ae (-kē-ī′)

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.

Other words from petechia

pe•te′chi•al adj.