1.
[syn: xerophthalmia, xerophthalmus, xeroma, conjunctivitis arida]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Xerophthalmia \Xe`roph*thal"mi*a\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?; xhro`s dry
+ ? the eye. See Ophthalmia.] (Med.)
An abnormal dryness of the eyeball produced usually by
long-continued inflammation and subsequent atrophy of the
conjunctiva.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
xerophthalmia
n 1: abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes;
may be due to a systemic deficiency of vitamin A [syn:
xerophthalmia, xerophthalmus, xeroma, conjunctivitis
arida]