Pallor

Pallor

Noun · /ˈpæl.ər/

Definition

An unusual or unhealthy paleness of the skin or complexion — a lack of colour that suggests illness, fear, shock, or extreme cold; pallid colouring.

Origin

From Latin pallor (paleness, pallor), from pallere (to be pale, to appear pale) — related to pallium (a cloak, something that covers and whitens), pallidus (pale), and the Proto-Indo-European root *pel- (pale, grey, white). Cognate with English pale, pall (a dark cloth covering), and the first element of the plant name white poplar. Pallor entering English directly from Latin in the fifteenth century, primarily as a medical and descriptive term for abnormal paleness of the face or skin.