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What is the origin of alopecia?
Doctors use "alopecia" to refer to various forms of hair loss, including "alopecia areata," a sudden loss of hair in patches that involves little or no inflammation. It may surprise you to learn that the word ultimately derives from "alōpēx," the Greek word for "fox," but the connection makes sense if you think of a fox who is afflicted with mange, a disease with symptoms that include, among other things, loss of hair. Middle English speakers borrowed the Latin word alopecia, which comes from "alōpekia," a Greek term that can be translated as "mange on foxes."
Examples of alopecia in a Sentence
Caroline Tell, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
When other causes of hair loss lead to scarring, such as certain types of alopecia, that's often irreversible.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Autoimmune types of alopecia, like alopecia areata, may be reversible.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2024
The grass, in this case, could be your hair: Dr. Smith says that irritation, if left unchecked, could contribute to a form of alopecia.
—Kiara Byrd, Allure, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for alopecia
Cite this Entry
“Alopecia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alopecia. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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alopecia
noun
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