Scrofula Definition
skrŏfyə-lə
noun
Tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, esp. of the neck, characterized by the enlargement of the glands, suppuration, and scar formation.
Webster's New World
A form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes, especially of the neck, that is most common in children and is usually spread by unpasteurized milk from infected cows.
American Heritage Medicine
Synonyms:
- king's evil
- struma
Other Word Forms of Scrofula
Noun
Singular:
scrofula
Plural:
scroful, scrofulae, scrofulasOrigin of Scrofula
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Middle English scrophula from Late Latin scrōfulae swelling of the glands diminutive of Latin scrōfa sow sker-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Latin diminutive of scrofa: a breeding sow, because swine were supposed to be subject to the complaint; or by fanciful comparison of the glandular swellings to little pigs.
From Wiktionary
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