chlamydia

noun

chla·​myd·​ia klə-ˈmi-dē-ə How to pronounce chlamydia (audio)
plural chlamydiae klə-ˈmi-dē-ˌē How to pronounce chlamydia (audio)
1
: any of a genus (Chlamydia, family Chlamydiaceae) of spherical gram-negative intracellular bacteria
especially : one (C. trachomatis) that causes or is associated with various diseases of the eye and urogenital tract including trachoma, lymphogranuloma venereum, cervicitis, and some forms of urethritis
2
: a disease or infection caused by chlamydiae
chlamydial adjective

Examples of chlamydia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Yes, STIs like trichomoniasis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea may cause yellow discharge. Wendy Wisner, Health, 29 Sep. 2024 Others are clearly sick, with dirty eyes and behinds – telltale signs of chlamydia, an infectious disease that spreads quickly in stressed populations. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024 Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease which may lead to chronic pelvic pain, according to the World Health Organization. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2024 Examples include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. Peter Weiss, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chlamydia 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chlamydia.' 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

borrowed from New Latin, originally the name of a group, from Greek chlamyd-, chlamýs "mantle, chlamys" + New Latin -ia -ia entry 1

Note: The taxon Chlamydia was originally assigned to a group of microorganisms neither bacterial nor viral by Helen Jones, Geoffrey Rake, and Barbara Stearns in "Studies on lymphogranuloma venereum III. The action of the sulfonamides on the agent of lymphogranuloma venereum," Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 76, issue 1 (January, 1945), pp. 55-69. The choice of the element chlamyd- was presumably based on the earlier taxon Chlamydozoa (with -zoa -zoa) originated by Ludwig Halberstädter and Stanislaus von Prowazek, "Über Zelleinschlüsse parasitärer Natur beim Trachom," Arbeiten aus dem Kaiserlichen Gesundheitsamte, vol. 26, Heft 1 (1907), pp. 44-47.

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chlamydia was in 1966

Dictionary Entries Near chlamydia

Cite this Entry

“Chlamydia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chlamydia. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

chlamydia

noun
chla·​myd·​ia klə-ˈmid-ē-ə How to pronounce chlamydia (audio)
1
capitalized : the type genus of the family Chlamydiaceae comprising coccoid to spherical gram-negative intracellular parasitic bacteria and including one (C. trachomatis) that causes or is associated with various diseases of the eye and genitourinary tract including trachoma, lymphogranuloma venereum, cervicitis, and some forms of nongonococcal urethritis
2
plural chlamydiae -ē-ˌē, -ˌī How to pronounce chlamydia (audio) also chlamydias
a
: a bacterium of the genus Chlamydia
b
: an infection or disease caused by a bacterium of the genus Chlamydia
chlamydial adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chlamydia

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