pellagra

UK: /pəˈleɪɡrə/

US: /pəˈlægrə, -ˈleɪgrə, -ˈlɑ-/

US: (pə lag′rə, -lā′grə, -lä′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pel•la•gra /pəˈlægrə, -ˈleɪgrə, -ˈlɑ-/   n. [uncountable]

1. Pathology a disease caused by a lack of niacin in the diet, characterized by skin changes, neurological problems, and diarrhea.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pel•la•gra  (pə lag′rə, -lā′grə, -lä′-), n. [Pathol.]

1. Pathology a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin in the diet, characterized by skin changes, severe nerve dysfunction, mental symptoms, and diarrhea.

• Greek ágra seizure
• Neo-Latin: skin disease, equivalent. to pell(is) skin + -agra
• Italian
• 1805–15

pel•la′grose, pel•la′grous, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pellagra / pəˈleɪɡrə -ˈlæ-/ noun

1. a disease caused by a dietary deficiency of nicotinic acid, characterized by burning or itching often followed by scaling of the skin, inflammation of the mouth, diarrhoea and mental disturbance

Etymology: 19th Century: via Italian from pelle skin + -agra, from Greek agra paroxysm

pelˈlagrous adjective