diarrhea

noun di·ar·rhea \ ˌdī-ə-ˈrē-ə \

Updated on: 8 Apr 2018

Definition of diarrhea

1 : abnormally frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools (see ¹stool 3b)

symptoms include fever, nausea, and diarrhea

2 : excessive flow

verbal diarrhea

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diarrheal

play \-ˈrē-əl\ adjective

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diarrheic

play \-ˈrē-ik\ adjective

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diarrhetic

play \-ˈre-tik\ adjective

See diarrhea defined for English-language learners

See diarrhea defined for kids

Examples of diarrhea in a Sentence

The symptoms of the disease include fever, nausea, and diarrhea.
I was taken with severe diarrhea while attending the conference.

Recent Examples of diarrhea from the Web

Symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, problems that are especially serious for young children and older adults.

— mará rose williams, kansascity, "Norovirus suspected in illness that struck about 50 Lawrence High School band members | The Kansas City Star," 22 Mar. 2018
Most infections happen between May and October and common symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, fever and chills, while more severe infections can lead to death, Fox News reported.

— Fox News, "Flesh-eating bacteria results in foot amputation for Texas man," 7 Mar. 2018
Associated symptoms also include diarrhea, nausea and confusion.

— sig christenson, San Antonio Express-News, "BAMC confirms Legionnaires’ disease, finds bacteria source," 27 Feb. 2018
Anti-diarrhea medication Buying large quantities of anti-diarrheal meds?

— lauren meltzer, CBS News, "5 things that are harder to obtain than a gun in Florida," 19 Feb. 2018
The statement adds that both athletes have been treated by the Swiss team’s doctors and no longer show symptoms of the highly contagious viral stomach flu, which causes diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

— jamie ducharme, Time, "The Olympic Norovirus Outbreak Has Spread to Athletes," 16 Feb. 2018
Symptoms include diarrhea, lethargy, fever, vomiting and dehydration.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "A Deadly Virus Is on the Rise for Australia’s Cats," 10 Feb. 2018
Pyeongchang's Olympic organizing committee said Monday that officials started investigating a norovirus outbreak after 41 security guards suffered diarrhea and vomiting.

— Houston Chronicle, "The Latest: Olympics security workers tested for norovirus," 6 Feb. 2018
Wochit Opioid addicts looking for a cheap high are turning to an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medication, prompting a federal agency to ask manufacturers to change the way the drug is packaged in an effort to curb abuse.

— brandon patterson, Detroit Free Press, "Yes, people are really using an anti-diarrhea medicine to get high," 1 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diarrhea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of diarrhea

Middle English diaria, from Late Latin diarrhoea, from Greek diarrhoia, from diarrhein to flow through, from dia- + rhein to flow — more at stream

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year