pimple

Definition

An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.

Etymology

Early Modern English pimple, pumple, from Middle English pymple, pympyl, of uncertain origin but probably a nasalized variant of Old English *pipel, *pypel, from Old English piplian, pyplian (“to break out in pimples, show eruptions”), probably related to Latin papula (“pimple, pustule”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pap- (“pock mark, nipple”)). Akin to Old English pipliġende (“having shingles”).

Example Sentences

• "I had to pop that embarrassing pimple, it was huge and red and on the tip of my nose."
• "He's such a pimple! I wish he'd stop being so irritating!"

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