‖ paronychia
(pærəʊˈnɪkɪə)
Also 7 paˈronychie.
[L., a. Gr. παρωνυχία a whitlow, f. παρ(α- para-1 1 beside + ὄνυξ, ὀνυχ- nail. In F. paronychie (Paré c 1560). Cf. also panaricium.]
1. Path. An inflammation about the finger-nail; a whitlow.
| 1597 [see panaricium]. 1663 Boyle Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos. ii. v. xi. 229 Tormented with a Paronychia for four daies together. 1696 Phillips (ed. 5), Paronychie, a preternatural swelling in the Fingers ends, very troublesome. 1741 A. Monro Anat. (ed. 3) 5 The deep-seated kind of Paronychia. 1874 Roosa Dis. Ear 120 The pain will be intense, like that from a paronychia. |
2. Bot. A genus of herbaceous plants (family Illecebraceæ), with narrow leaves, and conspicuous silvery stipules usually concealing the minute apetalous flowers; whitlow-wort.
| 1666 Locke Let. to Boyle 24 Feb., B.'s Wks. 1772 VI. 537, I have endeavoured to provide paronychia, and I think I shall be able to forward pretty good store of it..it begins to be in flower..about a fortnight hence. 1861 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. II. 315. |
Hence paroˈnychial, paroˈnychic adjs. (Path.), pertaining to or of the nature of paronychia.
| 1857 Mayne Expos. Lex., Paronychic. 1890 Cent. Dict., Paronychial. |