erysipelas

Etymology

From Middle English erisipila, borrowed from Latin erysipelas, from Ancient Greek ἐρῠσῐ́πελᾰς (erusípelas), probably related to ἐρῠθρός (eruthrós, “red”) and πέλμᾰ (pélma, “the sole of a foot”).

noun

1. (pathology) An acute, sometimes recurrent febrile disease caused by infection of a hemolytic streptococcus, associated with intense edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, and marked by large raised red patches on the skin.
   The symptoms gradually improved until, on the fifth day from her delivery, I was pleased to find the erysipelas rapidly defervescing, the lochia natural, no subinvolution of the uterus, nor abdominal tenderness. 31 July 1875, W. R. Smith, “Erysipelas During Parturition”, in James G. Wakley, editor, The Lancet, volume II, number 2709, London: John James Croft,[…], →ISSN, →OCLC, Notes, Short Comments, and Answers to Correspondents., page 187, column 2