ictericia
/iɡteˈɾiθja/feminine
The English word "jaundice" is translated into Spanish as ictericia.
ictericia is a noun used to describe the morbid condition. While ictericia is the medical term, you may hear the informal phrase ponerse amarillo used to describe the visible symptom of a person turning yellow.
Meaning: morbid condition (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ictericia is a feminine noun and is typically preceded by the feminine article la (e.g., la ictericia).
How do you pronounce it?
/iɡteˈɾiθja/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the adjective ictérico is used not only for a patient but also to describe a specific yellowish-green color palette in art or nature.
- The word ictericia is a cultismo, a specialized term borrowed from Greek and Latin that remains distinct from the more common 'vulgar' or evolved words in the language.
- The Spanish word ictericia shares the same Greek root as the English word 'icteric', but Spanish uses the noun form for the condition while English commonly uses 'jaundice', which comes from the French word for 'yellow'.
Examples in context
- El paciente mostraba síntomas de ictericia.The patient showed symptoms of jaundice.
- Después de la operación, mamá se puso amarilla.After the surgery, mom turned yellow.
- El paciente presenta ictericia.The patient presents with jaundice.
- La ictericia puede ser un síntoma de problemas hepáticos.Jaundice can be a symptom of liver problems.
- El médico confirmó que el paciente tiene ictericia.The doctor confirmed that the patient has jaundice.
- Debemos vigilar si aparece la ictericia en el bebé.We must monitor if jaundice appears in the baby.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about a medical report.
- ElenaMira, aquí dice que el paciente tiene ictericia.Look, it says here that the patient has jaundice.
- AlejandroEso explica por qué su piel se ve amarilla.That explains why his skin looks yellow.
- ElenaSí, la ictericia es un síntoma común en estos casos.Yes, jaundice is a common symptom in these cases.
- AlejandroEspero que el tratamiento funcione pronto.I hope the treatment works soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jaundice” translations and entries ictericia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ictericia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
