glossitis

Inflammation of the tongue. [gloss- + G. -itis, inflammation]

- g. areata exfoliativa SYN: geographic tongue.

- atrophic g. an erythematous, edematous, and painful tongue which appears smooth due to loss of the filiform and sometimes the fungiform papillae secondary to certain nutritional deficiencies, especially B-vitamin deficencies, as seen in pellagra, thiamin deficiency, and disorders such as pernicious anemia (Hunter or Moeller g.). SYN: bald tongue.

- benign migratory g. SYN: geographic tongue.

- g. desiccans a painful affection of the tongue, of unknown origin, in which the surface becomes raw and fissured.

- Hunter g. atrophic g..

- median rhomboid g. an asymptomatic, ovoid or rhomboid, macular, erythematous area with absence of papillae on the median portion of the dorsum of the tongue just anterior to the circumvalate papillae; thought to represent a persistent tuberculum impar.

- Moeller g. atrophic g..

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glos·si·tis -'sīt-əs n inflammation of the tongue

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n.

inflammation of the tongue. Causes include anaemia, candidosis, and vitamin deficiency. 'Geographical tongue' is a benign glossitis in which areas of erythema change from day to day.

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glos·si·tis (glos-iґtis) [gloss- + -itis] inflammation of the tongue.