lepra

Meaning

1. (archaic, uncountable) Synonym of leprosy.
2. (obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of psoriasis.
3. (obsolete, rare, uncountable) Any layer of algae, lichens, or other substance producing a leprosylike appearance on the surfaces of plants.

Synonyms

leprosy

lepriasis

leprosis

elephantiasis graecorum

lepra graecorum

lepra borealis

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlɛprə/

Etymology

From Latin lepra (“psoriasis & similar skin diseases”), from Koine Greek λέπρα (lépra, “psoriasis & similar skin diseases”), from λεπρός (leprós, “scaly”), from either λεπίς (lepís, “scale”) or λέπος (lépos, “husk, scale”) + -ρος (-ros, suffix forming adjectives). The shift of sense from psoriasis to Hansen's disease occurred in large part from the use of λέπρα (lépra) to translate Hebrew צרעת (“tzaraath”) in the Septuagint and its subsequent use in the New Testament and Late Latin.