contact dermatitis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-Frequency/TechnicalMedical/Technical, Everyday (when discussing health)
Quick answer
What does “contact dermatitis” mean?
A skin inflammation caused by direct contact with an irritant or allergen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A skin inflammation caused by direct contact with an irritant or allergen.
A medical condition where the skin becomes red, itchy, swollen, or blistered after touching substances like chemicals, metals (e.g., nickel), plants (e.g., poison ivy), cosmetics, or certain fabrics. It can be categorized as irritant contact dermatitis (from direct damage to the skin) or allergic contact dermatitis (from an immune system reaction).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or spelling. 'Dermatitis' is universally used.
Connotations
Purely medical/clinical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency outside medical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “contact dermatitis” in a Sentence
develop contact dermatitis FROM [substance]treat contact dermatitis WITH [treatment]diagnose contact dermatitis AS [type]react TO [substance] WITH contact dermatitisVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “contact dermatitis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The chemical could easily contact-dermatitise sensitive skin. (rare/technical)
adjective
British English
- She had a contact-dermatitis reaction to the new cream.
American English
- The contact-dermatitis patch test was positive for nickel.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used, except in occupational health & safety contexts (e.g., 'The new solvent requires gloves to prevent occupational contact dermatitis.')
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and public health research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Used when discussing a specific skin problem, often with a doctor or when describing a reaction to a product.
Technical
Standard term in dermatology, allergology, and occupational medicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “contact dermatitis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “contact dermatitis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “contact dermatitis”
- Misspelling as 'contact dermititis' or 'contact dermattitis'.
- Confusing it with 'atopic dermatitis' (a different, often internal, type of eczema).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I contacted dermatitis' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, contact dermatitis itself is not contagious. It is a personal reaction to a substance.
Irritant contact dermatitis is caused by a substance directly damaging the skin barrier (e.g., strong detergent). Allergic contact dermatitis involves the immune system reacting to a specific allergen (e.g., nickel, fragrance).
With proper avoidance of the trigger, symptoms typically improve within 2-4 weeks. Severe cases may take longer.
Yes, especially with allergic contact dermatitis. Repeated exposure can eventually sensitize the immune system, leading to a reaction.
A skin inflammation caused by direct contact with an irritant or allergen.
Contact dermatitis is usually medical/technical, everyday (when discussing health) in register.
Contact dermatitis: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒn.tækt ˌdɜː.məˈtaɪ.tɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːn.tækt ˌdɜːr.məˈtaɪ.t̬əs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think CONTACT = touch, DERMATITIS = skin inflammation. Inflammation of the skin from TOUCHING something.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SKIN AS A SENSITIVE BORDER/GUARD (reacts to foreign invaders).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of contact dermatitis?