rhizoverbBeta
DictionarychancrePainless ulcer
noun

chancre

SHANG-ker/ˈʃæŋkər/

A painless ulcer, especially one caused by syphilis.

The medical illustration shows a painless chancre on the patient's skin.

Restrained clinical drawing cropped to an adult mouth/chin, a single small round shallow ulcer with firm-looking raised edge on lower lip, no bleeding, no grimace; educational oral chancre illustration, not a portrait or sexual scene.
Etymology
chancreLatincrab; malignant tumor

Cancer meant both a crab and a malignant tumor; ancient physicians compared some tumors and their swollen veins to crabs. The inherited disease name came to designate a syphilitic sore.

In context

Alila Medical Media1:25
Primary syphilis typically presents with a single, painless, firm open sore, called a chancre, at the site of direct contact with the infected lesion.
Syphilis - Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatments, Animation

More examples

  • The clinician recorded the chancre's appearance.
  • A chancre can be an early sign of syphilis.
  • The textbook distinguishes a chancre from other ulcers.

Forms

chancre · chancres

Similar words

ulcer
Ulcer is a broad term for an open sore; chancre names a particular painless ulcer.