cheilitis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal, medical/technical
Quick answer
What does “cheilitis” mean?
inflammation of the lips.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
inflammation of the lips
A medical condition involving swelling, redness, cracking, or ulceration of the lips, which can be caused by infection, allergy, irritation, sun damage, nutritional deficiencies, or systemic diseases.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling and meaning are identical. The term is used identically in medical contexts in both regions.
Connotations
Strictly medical/clinical. No regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Used exclusively by healthcare professionals, dermatologists, and in patient literature. Equally rare in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “cheilitis” in a Sentence
Patient + has/suffers from + cheilitisDiagnosis + is + cheilitisTreat/manage + cheilitisCaused by + cheilitisVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cheilitis” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The cheilitic lesions were treated with a topical ointment.
American English
- The cheilitic condition required a biopsy to rule out carcinoma.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in medical and dermatological research papers, textbooks, and case studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson would say 'my lips are really inflamed' or 'I have a bad lip infection'.
Technical
The standard term in clinical notes, diagnoses, dermatology, and dentistry.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cheilitis”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cheilitis”
- Mispronouncing it as 'chee-li-tis' or 'chel-itis'.
- Misspelling as 'cheilosis' (a different condition).
- Using it in non-medical contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the cause. Cheilitis caused by infection (like herpes or candida) can be contagious, while cheilitis from sun damage or contact allergy is not.
Treatment targets the underlying cause and may include topical antifungals, antibiotics, corticosteroids, emollients, nutritional supplements (like B vitamins), or behavioral changes (like avoiding allergens).
Cheilitis is inflammation. Cheilosis (or angular cheilosis) often refers specifically to fissuring and scaling at the corners of the mouth, frequently associated with nutritional deficiencies, and is a type of cheilitis.
Most forms are benign but uncomfortable. However, actinic cheilitis is a pre-malignant condition caused by sun damage and requires monitoring/treatment to prevent progression to squamous cell carcinoma.
inflammation of the lips.
Cheilitis is usually formal, medical/technical in register.
Cheilitis: in British English it is pronounced /kaɪˈlaɪ.tɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /kaɪˈlaɪ.t̬ɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CHEIL' (from Greek 'cheilos' for lip) + 'ITIS' (a common suffix for inflammation, like arthritis, tonsillitis). So, 'lip-inflammation'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate definition of 'cheilitis'?