scrofula

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈskrɒfjʊlə/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(skrof′yə lə)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
scrof•u•la  (skrof′yə lə),USA pronunciation n. [Pathol.]
  1. Pathologyprimary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, esp. those of the neck.
  • Late Latin scrōfulae (Latin scrōf(a) sow + -ulae (plural) -ule), from the belief that breeding sows were susceptible
  • Middle English (plural) 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scrofula / ˈskrɒfjʊlə/
  1. (no longer in technical use) tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands
    Also called (formerly): the king's evil
Etymology: 14th Century: from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin scrōfulae swollen glands in the neck, literally: little sows (sows were thought to be particularly prone to the disease), from Latin scrōfa sow
'scrofula' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
evil - king's evil - scrofulous - scrophulariaceous - struma

Forum discussions with the word(s) "scrofula" in the title:


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