ringworm

A contagious fungal infection of the skin, characterized by ring-shaped discolored patches, covered by vesicles or scales.

Noun

A contagious fungal infection of the skin, characterized by ring-shaped discolored patches, covered by vesicles or scales.
- In superficial mycoses infection is localised to the skin, the hair, and the nails. An example is ringworm or tinea, an infection of the skin by a dermatophyte.
- Many of these natives, especially the lower classes, and fishermen, have their skins disfigured in a singular manner, by a sort of scurfy disease, similar to the ring-worm, or rather to a person whose skin was peeling...

From Middle English ringworm (“ringworm; intestinal worm”), from Old English rengwyrm (“maw-worm, intestinal worm”), equivalent to ring + worm.