What does "lupus" mean?

Any of a number of autoimmune diseases, the most common of which is systemic lupus erythematosus.

What is a synonym for "lupus"?

Common synonyms include: acne, big dipper, constellation, dermatitis, eczema, herpes.

Lupus

//ˈluːpəs// name, noun

name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
Any of a number of autoimmune diseases, the most common of which is systemic lupus erythematosus. uncountable
"You like the name quesalupa? That is a little like "case of lupus". I just keep thinking about that."
2
any of several forms of ulcerative skin disease wordnet

Proper Noun

1
A summer constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble a wolf. It lies south of the constellation Libra.
2
A city and village in Missouri, United States.

Synonyms

All synonyms

acne big dipper constellation dermatitis eczema herpes

Example

More examples

"Until now, lupus sufferers have treated their varied symptoms—from mental disorders to skin rashes and painful joints—with a combination of drugs, including painkillers, steroids and anti-malarial medicines."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin lupus (“wolf”). Doublet of lobo and wolf.

Etymology 2

From Latin lupus (“wolf”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.