Ecthymata

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of vesicles and crusting sores caused by bacterial infection
2. A type of dermatosis resulting from infection that leads to pustules and exudative lesions on the skin's surface
3. A skin disorder marked by the appearance of marked inflammation, which may show signs of oozing and scabbing due to a microbial agent

Etymology: "Ecthymata" is the plural of "ecthyma", a term for infected skin sores. The singular comes from Greek "ekthyma", a noun formed from "ekthyein", meaning "to break out" or "to erupt", so the word describes something that breaks out through the skin. Its roots are Greek, and the word was taken into medical Latin before entering English as a technical term for a particular kind of pustular ulcer.