pityriasisPronunciation: /ˌpɪtɪˈrʌɪəsɪs/Definition of pityriasis noun [mass noun, with modifier] Medicine a skin disease characterized by the shedding of fine flaky scales: pityriasis roseaOrigin: late 17th century: modern Latin, from Greek pituriasis 'scurf', from pituron 'bran'pityriasis in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of pityriasis in the US English dictionary