: a suddenly formed elevation of the skin surface : welt
especially : a flat burning or itching eminence on the skin

Examples of wheal 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.
So what is a wheal, anyway? Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 26 Aug. 2022 For others, the wheal may last longer. Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 26 Aug. 2022 Why does a wheal develop after the monkeypox vaccine? Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 26 Aug. 2022 The wheal was big enough that many allergists might have simply diagnosed it as a peanut allergy. Alice Callahan, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

alteration of wale entry 1

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wheal was in 1808

Dictionary Entries Near wheal

Cite this Entry

“Wheal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheal. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

: a suddenly formed elevation of the skin surface: as
a
: welt
especially : a flat burning or itching eminence on the skin
b
: the transient lump occurring at the site of injection of a solution before the solution is normally dispersed

More from Merriam-Webster on wheal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!