scrofula
/'skrɔfjulə/
Definition
- Noun:
- A form of tuberculosis: A specific disease, historically common, characterized by the swelling and inflammation of the lymph nodes, particularly those in the neck. It is caused by a bacterial infection, specifically Mycobacterium tuberculosis or related mycobacteria.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- In the 19th century, scrofula was a common and disfiguring ailment.
- The king was believed to have the divine power to cure scrofula by his touch.
Advanced Usage
- "The King's Evil": A historical term for scrofula, stemming from the medieval belief that a monarch's touch could cure the disease.
- Ceremonies for touching subjects to cure the King's Evil were practiced for centuries.
Variants and Related Words
- Scrofulous (adj): Pertaining to, affected by, or resembling scrofula. It can also describe a morally corrupt or degenerate condition in a figurative sense.
- The patient had a scrofulous swelling on his neck.
- (Figurative) The novel depicted the scrofulous underbelly of the city.
Synonyms
- Tuberculous lymphadenitis: The modern medical term.
- The King's Evil: The historical name.
Related Idioms
- None directly associated: There are no common idioms in modern English that use the word "scrofula" itself. Its historical synonym, "the King's Evil," is a fixed phrase.
Noun
-
a form of tuberculosis characterized by swellings of the lymphatic glands
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