diphtheria

diph·the·ria

noun \dif-ˈthir-ē-ə, dip-\

Definition of DIPHTHERIA

: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium (C. diphtheriae) which produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system

—diph·the·ri·al \-ē-əl\ adjective