lepra

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lepra

/ˈlɛprə/

Where it comes from

From Latin lepra (“psoriasis & similar skin diseases”), from Koine Greek λέπρα (lépra, “psoriasis & similar skin diseases”), from λεπρός (leprós, “scaly”), from either λεπίς (lepís, “scale”) or λέπος (lépos, “husk, scale”) + -ρος (-ros, suffix forming adjectives). 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.

noun

archaic, uncountable Synonym of leprosy. Lepra is an endemic, chronic, malignant, constitutional disease, due to a specific bacillus.
Similar: leprosy
obsolete, uncountable Synonym of psoriasis. Lepra and psoriasis are identical, though the two names are retained.
Similar: psoriasis
obsolete, rare, uncountable Any layer of algae, lichens, or other substance producing a leprosylike appearance on the surfaces of plants. Lepra is frequently met with on the trunks, especially of young trees.

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MLA

"lepra." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/lepra. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

lepra. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/lepra

Chicago

"lepra." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/lepra.

BibTeX

@misc{lepra_2026,
  title = {lepra},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/lepra},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}