wart

views updated May 14 2018

wart / wôrt/ • n. a small, hard, benign growth on the skin, caused by a virus. ∎  any rounded excrescence on the skin of an animal or the surface of a plant. ∎ inf. an obnoxious or objectionable person. ∎  an undesirable or disfiguring feature: few products are without their warts.PHRASES: warts and all inf. including features or qualities that are not appealing or attractive: Philip must learn to accept me, warts and all.DERIVATIVES: wart·y / ˈwôrtē/ adj.

wart

views updated May 17 2018

wart (wort) n. a benign growth on the skin caused by infection with human papillomavirus. Treatment of warts is with over-the-counter remedies, such as lactic and salicylic acids, but cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is probably more effective. common w. a firm horny papule found mainly on the hands. Most will clear spontaneously within two years. genital w. a wart that is frequently associated with other genital infections; affected woman have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. plane w. a flat skin-coloured wart usually found on the face; it may be present in very large numbers. plantar w. (verruca) a wart occurring on the sole of the foot. Plantar warts are often tender.

wart

views updated Jun 11 2018

wart Raised and well-defined small growth on the outermost surface of the skin, caused by the human papillomavirus. It is usually painless unless in a pressure area, as with a verruca.

wart

views updated May 17 2018

wart round dry tough excrescence on the skin. OE. wearte = OS. warta (Du. wrat), OHG. warza (G. warze), ON. varta :- Gmc. *wartōn.