phthiriasis
Mar. 4th, 2022 07:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordphthiriasis (thai-RAI-uh-sis, thi-RAI-uh-sis) - (med.) n., an infestation of crab lice.
Also, sometimes, of head lice, but that's more commonly pediculosis, which is also an infestation of any lice in general, while crab lice (Pthirus pubis) generally only infect the hairs of the pubic area (sometimes other nearby areas). From Latin phthīriāsis, from Ancient Greek phtheiriāsis, from phtheiriān, to be lousy, from phtheir, louse -- yet another root starting with that /phth/ combination.
Of which this is the last -- back next week with the usual unsorted mix.
---L.
Also, sometimes, of head lice, but that's more commonly pediculosis, which is also an infestation of any lice in general, while crab lice (Pthirus pubis) generally only infect the hairs of the pubic area (sometimes other nearby areas). From Latin phthīriāsis, from Ancient Greek phtheiriāsis, from phtheiriān, to be lousy, from phtheir, louse -- yet another root starting with that /phth/ combination.
Of which this is the last -- back next week with the usual unsorted mix.
---L.
