Frostbite

Beginner 🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Definition

Injury to body tissue caused by freezing, typically affecting exposed areas like fingers, toes, nose, and ears. Severe cases can result in tissue death and permanent damage.

Example Usage

After three hours in the blizzard, the climber showed signs of frostbite on both feet.

Origin

From English 'frost' and 'bite,' a compound describing the damaging effect of extreme cold on living tissue.

Fun Fact

Frostbite progresses through stages—frostnip, superficial frostbite, and deep frostbite—each with increasing severity and potential for permanent damage.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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