Stye Meaning and Definition
Stye
Pronunciation
/staɪ/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A small, usually painful, lump or swelling around the eyelid or eyelashes, caused by a blockage of the eyelid’s oil gland.
Examples
- She woke up with a painful stye on her left eyelid.
- A stye is a common and usually treatable condition.
- The doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment to treat her stye.
Synonyms
- Chalazion
- Meibomian cyst
Etymology
The word “Stye” comes from the Old French word “estier”, meaning “swelling” or “growth”, likely derived from the Latin word “stigma”, meaning “spot” or “mark”.
Usage Notes
Stye is typically used to describe a localized infection or inflammation of the eyelid or eyelashes, whereas chalazion or meibomian cyst may refer to the underlying cause of the condition.
Cultural References
“Stye” appeared in the TV show “The Office” in an episode where the character Dwight Schrute develops a stye.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
None
Related Words or Phrases
- Ophthalmia
- Cyst
- Inflammation
Collocations
- Painful stye
- Eye stye
- Treat a stye
Frequency of Use
Stye is a relatively uncommon word, but its usage is increasing due to the growing awareness of eye health and the availability of treatments for the condition.
Common Misspellings
- Sty
- Sties
- Ste