Ochronosis

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌəʊ.kɹə(ʊ)ˈnəʊ.sɪs/

Definitions

1. A pathological state marked by the buildup of dark pigments in connective tissues due to the abnormal breakdown of specific metabolites
2. A medical condition involving the darkening of tissues caused by the accumulation of pigment related to phenolic compound metabolism
3. A medical disorder characterized by the deposition of dark pigments in various tissues resulting from the abnormal metabolism of certain substances

Etymology: Ochronosis is a medical term, and its story is one of a name chosen for a symptom that is the opposite of what the disease actually does. The word combines the Greek "ōkhrós," meaning "pale yellow" or "sallow," with "nósos," meaning "sickness," and the suffix "-osis," used for abnormal conditions. The name reflects a pale yellowish tint, yet the condition itself produces a dark, bluish-black discoloration of tissue. English took the word from German, where "Ochronose" was coined as a medical label. The name was built entirely from classical Greek parts, so it describes a clinical condition rather than anything the ancient Greeks observed. Its meaning was fixed by the naming doctors, who put the Greek adjective for pallor into a term for pigmentation that appears in the opposite shade.