scrofula

views updated May 29 2018

scrof·u·la / ˈskrôfyələ/ • n. chiefly hist. a disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis. Also formerly called king's evil.DERIVATIVES: scrof·u·lous / -ləs/ adj.

scrofula

views updated May 29 2018

scrofula (skrof-yoo-lă) n. tuberculosis of lymph nodes, usually those in the neck, causing the formation of abscesses. Treatment with antituberculous drugs is effective. The disease, which is now rare, most commonly affects young children.
scrofulous adj.

scrofula

views updated May 14 2018

scrofula disease characterized by degeneration of the lymphatic glands. XIV. In early use pl. after late L. scrōfulæ, dim. f. L. scrōfa breeding-sow (supposed to be subject to the disease); in sg. form XVIII.
Hence scrofulous XVII.