Definition

Noun: A small, flat, brownish spot on the skin, caused by a localized increase in melanin pigment. It is a type of benign skin lesion, commonly known as a freckle or liver spot, especially when appearing in older adults.

Usage

• Lentigo is a medical and dermatological term for a specific type of skin spot.
• It is used to describe a singular spot. The plural form is lentigines (len-TIJ-i-neez).
• It is often modified by adjectives to specify its type or cause (e.g., solar lentigo, senile lentigo).

Examples

• The dermatologist examined the lentigo on the patient's cheek to ensure it was benign.
• Prolonged sun exposure can lead to the development of multiple lentigines on the hands and face.
• A simple lentigo is typically uniform in color and has well-defined borders.

Advanced Usage

• Solar Lentigo (or Actinic Lentigo): A lentigo caused by chronic sun exposure, commonly called a "sun spot" or "age spot."
• Lentigo Maligna: A specific, potentially pre-cancerous type of lentigo that requires medical monitoring.

Variants and Related Words

• Lentiginous (adjective): Relating to or characterized by lentigines.
• Lentiginosis (noun): A condition marked by the presence of numerous lentigines.

Synonyms

• Freckle (though a true freckle, or ephelis, is technically different, the terms are often used interchangeably in common language)
• Liver spot (common term for lentigines in older adults)
• Age spot
• Sun spot

Different Meanings

This word has a single, specific meaning in medical and common English related to dermatology. It does not have other unrelated definitions.

Idioms / Phrases

There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs using the word "lentigo." It is a technical noun used in its literal sense.

Noun

1. a small brownish spot (of the pigment melanin) on the skin