any of a group of blistering skin diseases, esp a potentially fatal form (pemphigus vulgaris) characterized by large blisters on the skin, mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals, intestines, etc, which eventually rupture and form painful denuded areas from which critical amounts of bodily protein, fluid, and blood may be lost
Also (obsolete): pemphix (ˈpɛmfɪks)
Word origin
C18: via New Latin from Greek pemphix bubble
pemphigus in American English
(ˈpɛmfɪgəs; pɛmˈfaɪgəs)
noun
a disease characterized by the formation of watery blisters on the skin, sometimes with itching
Word origin
ModL < Gr pemphix (gen. pemphigos), bubble < IE echoic base *bamb-, *bhambh-, to swell