Tinea
Noun: 1. A genus of moths: The genus name for a group of small moths, commonly known as clothes moths, whose larvae feed on materials like wool and fur. 2. A fungal infection: An infection of the skin, hair, or nails caused by fungi, characterized by itchy, often circular patches. This meaning is synonymous with "ringworm."
- As a genus name (biology):
- The museum's wool collection was damaged by tinea.
- A tinea larva was found in the old sweater.
- As a medical term for infection:
- The doctor diagnosed the itchy, red patch on his arm as tinea.
- Athlete's foot is a common form of tinea that affects the feet.
- Medical specificity: In medical contexts, is often followed by a Latin word indicating the body part affected, forming a more precise clinical term.
- Tinea pedis: Fungal infection of the foot (athlete's foot).
- Tinea cruris: Fungal infection of the groin area (jock itch).
- Tinea capitis: Fungal infection of the scalp.
- Tineid (noun/adjective): Relating to or denoting moths of the family Tineidae, which includes the genus .
- Dermatophytosis (noun): The formal medical term for the type of fungal infection described by .
- For the infection: Ringworm (common name), dermatophytosis (technical term).
- For the moth genus: Clothes moth (common name for species within this genus).
The word tinea has two distinct and unrelated meanings: 1. In Zoology/Entomology: It refers specifically to a taxonomic genus of insects (moths). 2. In Medicine/Dermatology: It refers to a category of contagious fungal infections. This is by far the more common usage in everyday language. The connection is historical, as the circular lesions of the skin infection were once thought to be caused by the larval worms of the moth.
- type genus of the Tineidae: clothes moths
- infections of the skin or nails caused by fungi and appearing as itching circular patches