Definition

A medical condition where the skin becomes thick and hard due to the buildup of connective tissue, often affecting internal organs as well.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with scleroderma after noticing the changes in her skin texture.

Conversation

Have you heard about scleroderma?

Yeah, I read that it's a condition that affects the skin, right?

Exactly! It's pretty serious because it can harden the skin and even affect organs.

That sounds really tough for those who have it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Scleroderma is formed from "sclero-" (from Greek "skleros", meaning hard) and "derma" (from Greek "derma", meaning skin). The word describes a condition characterized by hardening of the skin.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hard' ('sclero-') skin ('derma') to remember that scleroderma refers to a condition where the skin becomes hard.

Visually Confused Words