Dysentery is an infection in a person's intestines that causes them to pass a lot of waste, in which blood and mucus are mixed with the person's faeces.
dysentery in British English
(ˈdɪsəntrɪ)
noun
infection of the intestine with bacteria or amoebae, marked chiefly by severe diarrhoea with the passage of mucus and blood
Derived forms
dysenteric (ˌdɪsənˈtɛrɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C14: via Latin from Greek dusenteria, from dusentera, literally: bad bowels, from dys- + enteron intestine
dysentery in American English
(ˈdɪsənˌtɛri)
noun
any of various intestinal inflammations characterized by abdominal pain and frequent and intense diarrhea with bloody, mucous feces
Derived forms
dysenteric (ˌdysenˈteric)
adjective
Word origin
ME dissenterie < OFr < L dysenteria < Gr < dys-, dys- + enteron, pl. entera, bowels: see inter-