1
: any of several diseases characterized by skin lesions
especially
: systemic lupus erythematosus sense 2
2
Lupus astronomy
: a southern constellation that is visible between the constellations of Scorpius and Centaurus and that is represented by the figure of a wolf
Above Lupus lies Scorpius, one of the few constellations whose star pattern actually suggests the object that it is named for. In the myths, the scorpion was assigned by Artemis, the hunting goddess, to kill Orion, far across the sky.—
Don Moser
Don MoserExamples of lupus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Non-infectious causes of meningitis include head injuries, adverse reactions to certain medications, cancer or autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, says Dr. John Sellick, a professor of medicine in the infectious diseases division at the University at Buffalo.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
For women experiencing conditions like lupus or thyroid disorders, the immune system can mistakenly attack the body’s tissues, including the ovaries.
—Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2024
Gillette, a 34-year-old mother of five from Utah, once had to skip a month of at-home chemotherapy injections for a mixture of chronic auto-immune diseases, including lupus, after the copay was $2,500, even with insurance.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2024
And in lupus, long considered a B cell disease, some monoclonal antibodies have flopped in trials.
—Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lupus 
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.
Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
For women experiencing conditions like lupus or thyroid disorders, the immune system can mistakenly attack the body’s tissues, including the ovaries.
—Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2024
Gillette, a 34-year-old mother of five from Utah, once had to skip a month of at-home chemotherapy injections for a mixture of chronic auto-immune diseases, including lupus, after the copay was $2,500, even with insurance.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2024
And in lupus, long considered a B cell disease, some monoclonal antibodies have flopped in trials.
—Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lupus
Dictionary Entries Near lupus
Cite this Entry
“Lupus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lupus. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
lupus
noun
lu·pus
ˈlü-pəs 
: any of several diseases (as lupus vulgaris or systemic lupus erythematosus) characterized by skin lesions
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share