NEWS Health News Word of the Week: Pallor By Team Verywell Health Published on July 21, 2021 Fact checked by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Share Tweet Email Print Alex Dos Diaz / Verywell Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Pallor How to say it: Pallor (pal-LORE) What it means: Paleness; a sickly look in the face. Where it comes from: In Latin pallor, meaning "loss of color." Zinkevych/Getty Where you might see or hear it: When you are sick, someone might tell you that you look pale or do not have your normal rosy color on your face. When you look at the symptoms of some conditions, you might see the word "pallor" which describes the sickly paleness that you may have. If you see a doctor for a condition like anemia, they might note "pallor" in your medical record. When you might want to use it: Some people have naturally fairer skin than others and might be described as "pale" in general. However, if you are referring to the paleness that comes with being sick, describing it as pallor is more specific. What Are Skin Pigmentation Disorders? Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Merriam-Webster. Definition of Pallor. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit