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Definition of "ulcer" []

  • A lesion of the skin or a mucous membrane such as the one lining the stomach or duodenum that is accompanied by formation of pus and necrosis of surrounding tissue, usually resulting from inflammation or ischemia. (noun)
  • A corrupting condition or influence. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "ulcer" in a sentence
  • "It may begin as a hard nodule, or as a papillary growth which breaks down on the surface, leaving a deep ulcer with a characteristically indurated base -- the _crateriform ulcer_."
  • "But as with all his other symptoms, the ulcer was abnormal, as demonstrated by the glossy white molars sprouting in a clump from its center."
  • "At first, he thought his ulcer might be acting up, or maybe he had developed a bad case of heartburn."