ophthalmia

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin obtalmia and Old French obtalmie, ultimately from Ancient Greek ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmós).[1] Re-classicized from the Greek spelling, instead of archaic obtalmy (“eye inflammation, (also?) longsightedness”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɒfˈθælmiə/, /ɒpˈθælmiə/[2]
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɑpˈθælmiə/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

ophthalmia (countable and uncountable, plural ophthalmias)

  1. (medicine) Synonym of ophthalmitis (“inflammation of the eye”).
    • 1891 July, Fanny D. Bergen, “Animal and Plant Lore”, in Popular Science, page 377:
      Dr. Buck reports that the Swabians also believe in the efficacy of fasting spittle for sore eyes; and our never-failing Pliny records the Roman belief that ophthalmia may be cured by anointing the eyes every morning with fasting spittle.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “ophthalmia”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
  2. ^ “ophthalmia”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
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