Eschar

/ˈɛskɑr/ noun

Definition

A dry scab or crust that forms on skin after a burn or caused by caustic chemicals or disease, especially in anthrax.

Etymology

From Greek 'eskhara,' meaning hearth or scar. The term has been used in medical contexts since ancient times to describe necrotic tissue.

Kelly Says

The word 'eschar' comes from the Greek word for 'hearth'—because a burn creates a crust that looks like ash in a fireplace. Anthrax literally gets its name from the black eschar it creates ('anthrakis' means coal in Greek).

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