petechia

noun

pe·​te·​chia pə-ˈtē-kē-ə 

plural petechiae pə-ˈtē-kē-ˌī 

: a minute reddish or purplish spot containing blood that appears in skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhage

petechial

pə-ˈtē-kē-əl 

adjective

Examples of petechia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yes, petechiae can be a sign of cancer, particularly blood cancers such as leukemia. —Brandi Jones, Msn-Ed, Health, 7 Feb. 2025

The muscles of the soft palate help with breathing, swallowing, and talking.2 Palatal petechiae likely won't come as a total surprise. —Reven Widener, Health, 31 May 2023

However, petechiae are usually round and raised, whereas cherry angiomas are dome-shaped and usually flat.4 Sometimes, a healthcare provider may use optical coherence tomography (OCT). —Sarah Fielding, Health, 9 Mar. 2023

Bruising is a common sign of ITP, as are symptoms like petechiae (small dots of blood that look like a skin rash), sudden bloody noses, gums that bleed out of nowhere, and more, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). —Patia Braithwaite, SELF, 21 June 2019

Although petechiae can be a sign of leukemia, it can also be caused by things like a bad cough or sunburn, according to the Mayo Clinic. —Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2018

Those dots, little bits of blood trapped beneath the skin, known as petechiae, suggested that there was something wrong with her platelets, the components of blood that initiate clotting. —Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 16 Mar. 2017

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Italian petecchia, ultimately from Latin impetigo

First Known Use

circa 1784, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for petechia

• petechiae

Medical Definition

petechia

noun

pe·​te·​chia pə-ˈtē-kē-ə 

plural petechiae -kē-ˌī 

: a minute reddish or purplish spot containing blood that appears in skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhage