ulcer

noun

ul·​cer ˈəl-sər How to pronounce ulcer (audio)
1
: a break in skin or mucous membrane with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis of epithelial tissue, and often pus
2
: something that festers and corrupts like an open sore
ulcer verb

Examples of ulcer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Manganiello detailed debilitating abdominal pain, fevers, rashes, headaches, fatigue and ulcers in his digestive tract that caused bleeding and led to countless colonoscopies. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Examples of these include diabetic foot ulcers and non-healing surgical wounds. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 Red blood may be a sign of hemorrhoids, diverticulosis (small pouches in the colon), and more, while black or tarry feces can be a sign of internal bleeding in the colon, small intestine or stomach—and is linked to cancer, ulcers and inflammation. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026 Strep throat, stomach ulcers and the like do not engender debates as to their existence. — Richard E. Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ulcer

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin ulcer-, ulcus; akin to Greek helkos wound

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ulcer was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing ulcer

Rhymes for ulcer

See All Rhymes for ulcer

Browse Nearby Words

ULCC
ulcer
ulcerate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ulcer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ulcer. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ulcer

noun
ul·​cer ˈəl-sər How to pronounce ulcer (audio)
: a slow-healing open sore in which tissue breaks down

Medical Definition

ulcer

1 of 2 noun
ul·​cer ˈəl-sər How to pronounce ulcer (audio)
: a break in skin or mucous membrane with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis of epithelial tissue, and often pus
a stomach ulcer

ulcer

2 of 2 verb
ulcered; ulcering ˈəls-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce ulcer (audio)
: ulcerate

More from Merriam-Webster on ulcer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ulcer

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