Legionnaires' disease
noun
Le·gion·naires' disease ˌlē-jə-ˈnerz- 
variants or less commonly Legionnaire's disease
: pneumonia that is caused by a bacterium (Legionella pneumophila), is characterized initially by symptoms resembling influenza (as malaise, headache, and muscular aches) followed by high fever, cough, diarrhea, severe pneumonia, and mental confusion, and that may be fatal especially in elderly and immunocompromised individuals
Word History
Etymology
from its first recognized occurrence at an American Legion convention in 1976
First Known Use
1976, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
Legionnaires' disease
noun
variants also Legionnaire's disease
: pneumonia that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Legionella (L. pneumophila), that is characterized initially by symptoms resembling influenza (as malaise, headache, and muscular aches) followed by high fever, cough, diarrhea, lobar pneumonia, and mental confusion, and that may be fatal especially in elderly and immunocompromised individuals see pontiac fever