Cirrhose

/sɪˈroʊs/ adjective

Definition

Showing the characteristics or symptoms of cirrhosis, a disease that damages and scars the liver.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin 'cirrhosus,' derived from Greek 'kirrhos' meaning 'orange-yellow,' referring to the discolored appearance of a diseased liver. The condition was named for the yellowish appearance of damaged liver tissue.

Kelly Says

Cirrhosis got its name from the orange-yellow color of a damaged liver, and it's one of the few diseases where the word for the condition comes directly from the visual symptom—doctors could literally see the color change and named the disease based on what they observed.

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