[mod.L. (in F. chlorose), f. Gr. χλωρός green, lit. ‘a making green’: see -OSIS. In sense 2 a, the etymology is lost sight of, and the notion is that of ‘loss of the natural color,’ which in this case is green.]
1. Path. A disease mostly affecting young females about the age of puberty, characterized by anæmia, suppression or irregularity of the menses, and a pale or greenish complexion; green sickness.
1681. trans. Willis’ Rem. Med. Wks., Voc., Chlorosis, The Green-sickness, or the Virgins disease.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 523. The indolent and lazy … are in a manner eaten up by the chlorosis, or green-sickness.
1874. Jones & Siev., Pathol. Anat., 13. In those cases of chlorosis where the administration of iron is sufficient to reproduce the ruddy hue.
1882. Quain, Dict. Med., Chlorosis occurs almost without exception in young women about the time of puberty, but is found occasionally in children and married women, and, very rarely, even in men. [Cf. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. iii. 100.]
2. Bot. a. A disease or affection of plants, in which the green parts become blanched or yellow through the chlorophyll not being developed, either on account of the absence of light (= ETIOLATION), or spec. for want of iron in the soil. b. The turning green of some part normally of another color, as in the reversion of petals to the form of green leaves.
1807. Edin. Rev., XI. 85. When plants become pale from want of light … he [Willdenow] terms it Chlorosis.
1842. Gray, Struct. Bot. (1869), Gloss., Chlorosis: a loss of color: a reversion of the petals, &c. of a blossom to green leaves.
1866. Treas. Bot., 273. Chlorosis, one of the most formidable diseases to which plants are subject…. The most promising remedy is watering them with a very weak solution of sulphate of iron.
