miliaria
/miljaɾja/from spelling rules
The English phrase prickly heat is translated into Spanish as miliaria.
This term refers to a skin condition characterized by small, red, itchy bumps caused by blocked sweat glands.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
miliaria is the formal medical term. While it is accurate, the full clinical name for the condition is miliaria cutánea.
How do you pronounce it?
/miljaɾja/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, prickly heat is referred to as salitre, which is also the word for 'saltpeter' or the salty crust left on walls by sea air.
- The word miliaria is derived from the Latin milium, meaning 'millet seed', because the tiny bumps on the skin resemble those small grains.
- The verb picar, used to describe the itch of miliaria, is the same word used for a bird 'pecking' or a bee 'stinging'.
Examples in context
- ¡Tengo brotes de calor en la piel!I have prickly heat on my skin!
- La miliaria causa mucha picazón en la espalda.Prickly heat causes a lot of itching on the back.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are talking about the hot summer weather.
- ElenaSiento la piel muy irritada por el calor.My skin feels very irritated because of the heat.
- JavierParece que tienes miliaria, Elena.It looks like you have prickly heat, Elena.
- Elena¿Qué puedo usar para aliviarla?What can I use to relieve it?
- JavierPrueba con una loción refrescante.Try a cooling lotion.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry miliaria, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
