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acne

UK/ˈækni/US/ˈækni/
nounB1+Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #8,635 of 15,258neutral

Other forms: acnes

Acne is a condition that covers the skin in spots. Suffer from acne, acne treatment, teenage acne.

It is caused by hormones acting on oil glands and blocked follicles, not by dirt or by chocolate, and scrubbing makes it worse. It is treatable, and treating it early matters because scarring is permanent. It affects adults too, women more than men.

Roshu Bangal · CC BY-SA 4.0

Definitions of acne

  1. 1nounacneA condition that covers the skin in spots.B1+

    “As a teenager, he was embarrassed by the acne on his face.”

acne is a skin condition.

Where it comes from

New Latin acne, probably a misreading of Greek akme, a point, in an ancient medical text.

  1. Proto-Indo-European

    *h₂eḱ-

  2. Ancient Greek

    ἀκμή — point, top

  3. New Latin

    acnē

  4. English, today

    acne

From New Latin acnē, probably a corruption of Ancient Greek ἀκμή (“point, top”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Hair & Grooming

Practise this word

acne in the wild

  • Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and sebum clog hair follicles.

    Acne

  • Several types of birth control pills help prevent acne in women.

    Acne

  • Whether a skin condition classifies as acne depends on the number of comedones and infection.

    Comedo

  • Over the past several years, fewer cases of this disease have occurred, possibly because of earlier and better treatment of acne.

    Acne fulminans

  • Approximately 100 patients with acne fulminans have been described.

    Acne fulminans

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.