pilonidal

adjective

pi·​lo·​ni·​dal ˌpī-lə-ˈnī-dᵊl 

: of, relating to, or being a hair-containing cyst of the skin in the lower-back region near the upper crease of the buttocks

Examples of pilonidal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Isabell suffers from pilonidal disease, a chronic skin infection that causes cysts to form in the crease between the buttocks. —USA Today, 25 Feb. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Latin pilus hair + nidus nest

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

pilonidal

adjective

pi·​lo·​ni·​dal ˌpī-lə-ˈnīd-ᵊl 

1

: containing hair nested in a cyst

—used of congenitally anomalous cysts in the sacrococcygeal area that often become infected and discharge through a channel near the anus

2

: of, relating to, involving, or for use on pilonidal cysts, tracts, or sinuses