hepatitis

noun

hep·​a·​ti·​tis ˌhe-pə-ˈtī-təs How to pronounce hepatitis (audio)
plural hepatitides ˌhe-pə-ˈti-tə-ˌdēz How to pronounce hepatitis (audio) also hepatitises ˌhe-pə-ˈtī-tə-səz How to pronounce hepatitis (audio)
1
: inflammation of the liver
2
: a disease or condition (such as hepatitis A or hepatitis B) marked by inflammation of the liver

Did you know?

The liver, the body's largest gland, performs many important tasks, but is also vulnerable to many illnesses. At least five types of hepatitis, labeled with the letters A–E, are caused by viruses. The most common are hepatitis A, acquired through contaminated food and water; hepatitis B, which usually travels via sexual activity or shared needles; and hepatitis C, generally passed through shared needles. Some other types, including alcoholic hepatitis (caused by drinking too much alcohol), aren't infectious. There are vaccines for types A and B, and drug treatments for A, B, and C, though the drugs aren't always effective.

Examples of hepatitis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For Jones, that first step was participating in a hepatitis study conducted in San Francisco in 1978. Lz Granderson, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024 Currently, all donors, whether of blood, organs, or tissue, are tested for HIV and two types of hepatitis. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 30 May 2024 From the 1970s until 1991, up to 30,000 people in the UK were given blood infected with HIV and hepatitis. The Week Uk, theweek, 10 Feb. 2024 By the spring of 1957, McCarthy was gone for good, dead of hepatitis exacerbated by drink. Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2021 See all Example Sentences for hepatitis 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hepatitis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hepatitis was circa 1751

Dictionary Entries Near hepatitis

Cite this Entry

“Hepatitis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hepatitis. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

hepatitis

noun
hep·​a·​ti·​tis ˌhep-ə-ˈtīt-əs How to pronounce hepatitis (audio)
plural hepatitides -ˈtit-ə-ˌdēz How to pronounce hepatitis (audio) also hepatitises
-ˈtīt-ə-səz
: inflammation of the liver
also : any of several virus diseases marked especially by inflammation of the liver

Medical Definition

hepatitis

noun
hep·​a·​ti·​tis ˌhep-ə-ˈtīt-əs How to pronounce hepatitis (audio)
plural hepatitides -ˈtit-ə-ˌdēz How to pronounce hepatitis (audio) also hepatitises
-ˈtīt-ə-səz
1
: inflammation of the liver
2
: a disease or condition (as hepatitis A or hepatitis B) marked by inflammation of the liver
hepatitic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hepatitis

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