pellagra

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pel=la=gra

CIDE DICTIONARY

pellagra, n. [It. pelle skin + agro rough.].

 An affection of the skin, characterized by redness, especially in exposed areas, scaling and shedding of the skin, and accompanied with severe gastrointestinal disturbance and nervous symptoms. It is due to a deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3; nicotinic acid) and protein in the diet, and may be caused by malnutrition, or, in some cases, by a heavy dependence on maize for food. It was at one time (ca. 1890) endemic in Northern Italy, and was called Alpine scurvy. It may also be caused by alcoholism or diease causing an impairment of nutrition. It is also called St. Ignatius's itch, maidism, mal de la rosa, mal rosso, and psychoneurosis maidica. A variety of pellagra seen in children is called infantile pellagra or kwashiorkor.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pellagra, n. a disease caused by deficiency of nicotinic acid, characterized by cracking of the skin and often resulting in insanity.

Derivative

pellagrous adj.

Etymology

It. f. pelle skin, after PODAGRA

THESAURUS

pellagra

Lombardy leprosy, anemia, ariboflavinosis, beriberi, cachexia, chlorosis, deficiency anemia, dermatitis, goiter, greensickness, keratomalacia, kwashiorkor, maidism, malnutrition, night blindness, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, pernicious anemia, protein deficiency, rachitis, rickets, scurvy, struma, vitamin deficiency, xerophthalmia