pink-eye

A child with pink-eye sits on a doctor's examination table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Inflammation of the conjunctiva: "pink-eye" is a common term for conjunctivitis, an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane (conjunctiva) that lines the eyelid and covers the white part of the eyeball. It is characterized by redness, itching, and discharge.
   • In veterinary medicine: "pink-eye" also refers to a similar infectious eye condition affecting animals, especially cattle and horses.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The child woke up with pink-eye, so the parents kept her home from school. (The child had conjunctivitis, causing red and irritated eyes.)
  • The farmer treated the calf's pink-eye with antibiotic ointment. (The calf had an infectious eye condition common in livestock.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have pink-eye": to be suffering from conjunctivitis.
  • She had pink-eye and needed to avoid touching her eyes. (She had an eye infection requiring careful hygiene.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pink (adj): of a colour between red and white.

  • The pink-eye caused the eye to appear pinkish. (The infection gave the eye a pink hue.)

• Eye (n): the organ of sight.

  • Pink-eye affects the eye's conjunctiva. (The infection targets the eye's outer membrane.)

Synonyms

• Conjunctivitis: the medical term for pink-eye.
• Red-eye: a colloquial term sometimes used for conjunctivitis, though more commonly for a flight or eye redness.

Related Idioms

• To have a pink eye: to be affected by conjunctivitis.
  • He couldn't wear contact lenses because he had a pink eye. (He had conjunctivitis and needed to avoid lenses.)

Notes on Usage

• "Pink-eye" is an informal, non-technical term. In medical contexts, "conjunctivitis" is preferred, but "pink-eye" is widely understood in everyday speech, especially in reference to children or animals.