anti-pellagra
|an-ti-pel-la-gra|
/ˌæn.ti.pəˈlæɡrə/
against pellagra
Etymology
'anti-pellagra' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') and 'pellagra' (from Italian 'pellagra'). 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'pellagra' originally came from Italian elements meaning 'skin' + 'sour/rough'.
'pellagra' entered English from Italian 'pellagra' (from Italian phrase 'pelle agra' meaning 'rough/sour skin') and combined with the productive prefix 'anti-' to form the compound 'anti-pellagra' in English usage.
Initially, the Italian phrase referred literally to 'rough/sour skin'; over time it became the name of the disease (pellagra) and 'anti-pellagra' came to mean 'against or preventive of that disease.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance, supplement, treatment, or measure that prevents or combats pellagra.
Public-health teams distributed anti-pellagra to vulnerable communities during the outbreak.
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Adjective 1
preventing, counteracting, or effective against pellagra (the disease caused by niacin deficiency); used to describe diets, supplements, medicines, or measures.
The nutrition program promoted anti-pellagra diets rich in niacin and tryptophan.
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Last updated: 2025/11/13 02:33