pertussis

noun

per·​tus·​sis pər-ˈtə-səs How to pronounce pertussis (audio)
: whooping cough

Examples of pertussis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Under the executive order, vaccines for diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, pertussis, HPV and varicella remain among those recommended for all children. — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Spacing out other shots for pertussis and other infectious diseases could multiply the number of visits many more times. — Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026 At that point, the CDC recommended children receive a vaccine against smallpox, a combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, known as the DTP vaccine, and a vaccine against polio. — Jake Scott, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 Vaccines in the executive order’s first group—those recommended for all children—include vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, as well as human papillomavirus (HPV) and polio, among other conditions. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pertussis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin per- thoroughly + tussis cough

First Known Use

circa 1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pertussis was circa 1772

Rhymes for pertussis

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Browse Nearby Words

Pertusaria
pertussis
Peru
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Cite this Entry

“Pertussis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pertussis. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pertussis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pertussis

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