What does petechiae mean?
Petechiae are minute red, purple, or reddish-purple spots that form when small blood vessels bleed into the skin or mucous membranes. Each spot is usually only a few millimetres across, and the lesions do not blanch when pressed. They may occur in many conditions, including platelet or clotting disorders, some infections, and certain medication or vitamin reactions. When numerous, they can create what is called a petechial rash. The word is primarily used in clinical and medical writing, where precise distinctions matter: petechiae are smaller than the broader areas of bleeding termed purpura. Although petechiae can sometimes be harmless, an unexplained or rapidly spreading eruption may warrant urgent medical assessment, particularly when accompanied by fever, bleeding elsewhere, or signs of systemic illness.
noun (plural)Petechiae are tiny red or purple spots on the skin or mucous membranes caused by bleeding from small blood vessels. They are non-blanching, meaning that pressure does not make them fade.
- Minute red or purple spots appearing on the skin or mucous membranes because small blood vessels have ruptured.
"The doctor observed numerous petechiae across the patient's torso and limbs."
"The petechiae spread across her wrists during the evening."
"The clinician noted petechiae behind the ears and along the lower limbs."
Already plural; the rare singular is petechion.
"The petechiae became more numerous over the following hour."
Petechiae are tiny clues written in the skin: their non-blanching red or purple dots can signal bleeding or, in some circumstances, a serious systemic illness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does petechiae come from?
The term comes through New Latin from Greek πετέχεια, referring to a skin eruption or spots. Its Latin form petechiae became the usual English plural, while the singular petechion and the adjective petechial were also adopted in medical usage. Related forms appeared in several European languages through borrowing from Latin and Greek.
Related word forms
How petechiae is actually used
The term is used mainly in medical and clinical contexts. It is normally plural; the rare singular is petechion, while petechial is the corresponding adjective.
Easily confused with petechiae
Petechiae are pinpoint bleeding spots, whereas purpura denotes larger patches of bleeding into the skin.