a usually chronic inflammatory disease in which immunological reactions cause abnormalities of blood vessels and connective tissue: the systemic form commonly involves the joints, kidney, nervous system, and skin, while the discoid form produces a chronic skin disease characterized by red scaly patches that tend to produce scars
Origin:
ModL, lit., erythematous lupus
See lupus erythematosus in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Any of several connective tissue disorders, especially systemic lupus erythematosus, that primarily affect women of childbearing age, have a variety of clinical forms, and are characterized by red scaly skin lesions.