Diphtheria is a dangerous infectious disease which causes fever and difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
diphtheria in British English
(dɪpˈθɪərɪə, dɪf-)
noun
an acute contagious disease caused by the bacillus Corynebacterium diphtheriae, producing fever, severe prostration, and difficulty in breathing and swallowing as the result of swelling of the throat and formation of a false membrane
Derived forms
diphtherial (diphˈtherial) or diphtheritic (ˌdɪpθəˈrɪtɪk, dɪf-) or diphtheric (dɪpˈθɛrɪk, dɪf-)
adjective
diphtheroid (ˈdiphtheˌroid)
adjective
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from French diphthérie, from Greek diphthera leather; from the nature of the membrane
diphtheria in American English
(dɪfˈθɪriə; dɪpˌθɪriə)
noun
an acute infectious disease caused by a bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) and characterized by weakness, high fever, the formation in the air passages of a tough, membranelike obstruction to breathing, and the production of a potent neurotoxin
Derived forms
diphtherial (diphˈtherial)
adjective
Word origin
ModL < Fr diphtherie (so named (1855) by A. Trousseau (1801-67), Fr physician, replacing earlier diphthérite, first used (1821) by P. Bretonneau (1778-1862), Fr physician) < Gr diphthera, leather < dephein, to tan hides < IE base *deph-, to knead, stamp > Arm topʼel, to strike
Examples of 'diphtheria' in a sentence
diphtheria
All diseases were dreaded, but diphtheria was the worst for it killed quickly and painfully.