scleroderma

[ skleer-uh-dur-muh, skler- ]
/ ˌsklɪər əˈdɜr mə, ˌsklɛr- /

noun Pathology.

a disease in which connective tissue anywhere in the body becomes hardened and rigid.

Origin of scleroderma

First recorded in 1865–70; sclero- + -derma

Words nearby scleroderma

sclerochoroiditis, scleroconjunctival, sclerocornea, sclerocorneal junction, sclerodactyly, scleroderma, sclerodermatous, sclerogenous, scleroid, scleroiritis, sclerokeratitis

Example sentences from the Web for scleroderma

British Dictionary definitions for scleroderma

scleroderma

sclerodermia (ˌsklɪərəʊˈdɜːmɪə) or scleriasis (sklɪˈraɪəsɪs)

/ (ˌsklɪərəʊˈdɜːmə) /

noun

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

Word Origin for scleroderma

C19: from New Latin sclerōdermus, from Greek, from sklēros hard + derma skin

Medical definitions for scleroderma

scleroderma
[ sklîr′ə-dûr′mə ]

n.

A collagen disease characterized by the deposition of fibrous tissue into the skin and often other organs, causing tissue hardening and thickening. dermatosclerosis
progressive systemic sclerosis

Other words from scleroderma

scle′ro•der′ma•tous (-mə-təs) adj.

Scientific definitions for scleroderma

scleroderma
[ sklîr′ə-dûr′mə ]

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