influenza

in·flu·en·za

noun \ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen-zə\

Definition of INFLUENZA

1

a : any of several acute highly contagious respiratory diseases caused by strains of three major orthomyxoviruses now considered to comprise three species assigned to three separate genera: (1) : influenza a (2) : influenza b (3) : influenza c b : any human respiratory infection of undetermined cause—not used technically

2

: any of numerous febrile usually virus diseases of domestic animals (as shipping fever of horses) marked by respiratory symptoms, inflammation of mucous membranes, and often systemic involvement

—in·flu·en·zal \-zəl\ adjective