What does "leprosy" mean?
An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, gradually producing nerve damage and patches of skin necrosis and historically handled by permanently quarantining its sufferers.
Leprosy
/ˈlɛpɹəsi/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, gradually producing nerve damage and patches of skin necrosis and historically handled by permanently quarantining its sufferers.
- Grammar: leprosy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: hansen's disease, acne, acne vulgaris, acute articular rheumatism.
- Useful contrasts: noninfectious disease, nonleprosy.
- Usage evidence: He's afflicted with leprosy. Don't go near him.
How to use "leprosy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "leprosy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "leprosy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "leprosy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "leprosy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "leprosy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "hansen's disease" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "leprosy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, gradually producing nerve damage and patches of skin necrosis and historically handled by permanently quarantining its sufferers. uncountable, usually
"Then is it surely a leprosy"
- 2 chronic granulomatous communicable disease occurring in tropical and subtropical regions; characterized by inflamed nodules beneath the skin and wasting of body parts; caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae wordnet
- 3 Similar contagious skin diseases causing light patches of scaly skin, particularly psoriasis, syphilis, vitiligo, scabies, and (biblical) the various diseases considered "tzaraath" in the Old Testament. proscribed, uncountable, usually
- 4 Anything considered similarly permanent, harmful, and communicable, particularly when such a thing should be handled by avoidance or isolation of its victims. figuratively, uncountable, usually
"Sin is a spiritual leprosy."
- 5 A contagious disease causing similar effects in animals, particularly; Ellipsis of murine leprosy or feline leprosy (“diseases caused in rodents and cats by Mycobacterium lepraemurium”). abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable, usually
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A contagious disease causing similar effects in animals, particularly; Synonym of mange and glanders in horses. obsolete, uncountable, usually
- 7 Synonym of leprosarium: a place for the housing of lepers in isolation from the rest of society. obsolete, rare, uncountable, usually
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
noninfectious diseasenonleprosy
Example
"He's afflicted with leprosy. Don't go near him."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "leprosy"?
Common synonyms include: hansen's disease, acne, acne vulgaris, acute articular rheumatism, african lethargy, ague.
How do you use "leprosy" in a sentence?
He's afflicted with leprosy. Don't go near him.
How do you pronounce "leprosy"?
Pronounced /ˈlɛpɹəsi/.
Etymology
From Norman leprosie, from Middle French leprosie (“leprosy & similar skin diseases”), probably from leprous (“leprous”) + -ie (“-y”) but possibly from Medieval Latin leprōsia (leprōsus + -ia) although this only historically attested in reference to leprosariums. 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.