melasma

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A tan or dark skin discoloration, particularly common in pregnant women, thought to be caused by the stimulation of melanocytes by estrogen and progesterone.

Word forms

melasma melasmus

Etymology

From Latin melasma, from Ancient Greek μέλασμα (mélasma), from μελαίνειν (melaínein, “to blacken”) + -σμα (-sma), from μέλας (mélas, “black”).

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