hypohidrosis
Very low / TechnicalMedical / Clinical / Formal technical
Definition
Meaning
A medical condition characterized by abnormally diminished or insufficient sweating.
A functional disorder of the eccrine sweat glands leading to a reduced capacity to perspire, which can be focal or generalised, congenital or acquired, and may pose risks for thermoregulation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strictly a medical term for a specific physiological dysfunction. The prefix 'hypo-' means 'under, below normal'. Not to be confused with 'anhidrosis' (complete absence of sweating).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or meaning. Spelling follows the same pattern. Both use the term identically within medical contexts.
Connotations
None beyond the clinical definition. No regional variation in connotation.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both varieties, used almost exclusively by healthcare professionals.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Patient + [verb: has/suffers from/exhibits] + hypohidrosisHypohidrosis + [verb: results from/is caused by] + [cause]Hypohidrosis + [verb: leads to/poses a risk of] + [consequence]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical, dermatological, and physiological research papers, textbooks, and case studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson would say "I don't sweat much" or "I have a problem with sweating too little."
Technical
Core term in clinical dermatology, neurology (e.g., autonomic neuropathy), and sports medicine. Used in patient notes, differential diagnoses, and specialist consultations.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The patient's hypohidrotic condition required careful monitoring in the heat.
American English
- The hypohidrotic areas of skin were mapped using a starch-iodine test.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Doctors have a special word for when someone sweats too little.
- A rare condition called hypohidrosis means the body cannot cool itself properly.
- The medication list was reviewed as several drugs are known to induce hypohidrosis as a side effect.
- Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterised by profound sensory neuropathy and generalised hypohidrosis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'HYPO' (like a hypo-dermic needle goes UNDER the skin) + 'HIDROSIS' (sweating). So, 'under-sweating' or 'below-normal sweating'.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH IS BALANCE (a deviation from the normal balance of sweating).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calques like 'гипогидроз' without confirming standard medical terminology (the accepted term is 'гипогидроз', but it's very specific).
- Do not confuse with 'ангидроз' (anhidrosis).
- The '-sis' ending denotes a state/condition, not an action.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as 'hypo-hi-DRO-sis' (correct stress is on 'dro').
- Misspelling as 'hypohydrosis' (the root is 'hidr-', from Greek 'hidrōs', meaning sweat).
- Using it in non-medical contexts where simpler terms exist.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary clinical concern associated with severe hypohidrosis?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, hypohidrosis is specifically diminished sweating. The complete absence of sweating is called 'anhidrosis'.
Treatment focuses on managing the underlying cause (if identifiable) and preventing overheating through behavioural and environmental strategies, as there is no direct cure to restore normal sweat function.
No, unless you are a medical professional or a patient with this specific condition. It is a highly specialised term.
The opposite condition is 'hyperhidrosis', which is excessive sweating.