What does ulcer mean?
An ulcer is an open sore in which tissue, usually skin or the lining of an organ such as the stomach or mouth, has broken down. Ulcers may be painful, bleed, become infected, or fail to heal normally. The best-known examples include peptic ulcers, which affect the stomach or upper part of the small intestine, and mouth ulcers, which are often recurrent. Although people commonly associate ulcers with stress or spicy food, many peptic ulcers are caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori or by the use of certain anti-inflammatory medicines. The word can also be used figuratively: an institution may be described as having an ulcer within it, meaning that it contains a serious underlying weakness. In general use, “ulcer” remains primarily a medical term, and it is more precise than the broader word “sore” because it specifically denotes an area of tissue loss.
An open sore caused by the breakdown of skin or mucous membrane tissue, especially in the stomach, intestine, mouth, or skin.
"An endoscopy revealed a gastric ulcer."
Often used attributively, as in “ulcer patient” or “ulcer treatment.” Figurative uses denote a serious underlying flaw or corruption.
To form an ulcer or become ulcerated.
"The injured skin ulcerated over the following week."
This is less common than the noun and is used mainly in medical contexts.
The regular plural is used for individual sores or ulcers and for multiple cases of ulceration.
"The physician found two ulcers during the examination."
Stress and spicy food were once widely blamed for peptic ulcers; the discovery of Helicobacter pylori in the 1980s revealed a bacterial cause for many of them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ulcer come from?
The word entered English from Latin during the late Middle English period. Latin ulcus, with the genitive ulceris, meant “a wound” or “sore” and ultimately derived from ancient Greek helkos, meaning “wound” or “sore.” English later developed related forms such as ulcerate, ulceration, ulcerous, and ulcerative, preserving the word’s association with the formation or presence of ulcers.
Related word forms
How ulcer is actually used
In medicine, the term is usually specific to a localized loss of tissue from the skin or a mucous membrane. It is also used metaphorically for severe social, institutional, or economic problems, although that usage can sound deliberately critical.
Easily confused with ulcer
An ulcer is an open area where tissue has broken down, whereas an abscess is a localized pocket of pus formed by an infection.