diphtheria

noun

diph·​the·​ria dif-ˈthir-ē-ə 

nonstandard

dip- 

: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a gram-positive bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) that produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system

diphtherial

dif-ˈthir-ē-əl 

nonstandard dip-

adjective

diphtheritic

ˌdif-thə-ˈri-tik 

nonstandard ˌdip-

adjective

Examples of diphtheria in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the early 1920s, diphtheria accounted for about 175,000 cases annually and pertussis for nearly 150,000 cases; measles accounted for about half a million annual cases before the introduction of vaccine in the 1960s. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026

Crawling the walls Orson Welles learned to draw from his mother, who informally homeschooled the budding artist during his childhood, which was marked by grave illnesses including malaria and diphtheria. —Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026

The building assumed that role beginning in 1896, treating kids suffering from ailments such as typhoid, diphtheria, and scarlet fever. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026

Travelers are being advised to reconsider travel to Africa’s most populous country citing risks like crime, kidnapping, and health concerns, including a diphtheria outbreak. —Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from French diphthérie, from Greek diphthera leather; from the toughness of the false membrane

First Known Use

circa 1851, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for diphtheria

• arteria
• bacteria
• criteria
• egeria
• listeria
• neisseria
• wisteria
• cafeteria
• cyanobacteria
• mycobacteria

Kids Definition

diphtheria

noun

diph·​the·​ria dif-ˈthir-ē-ə  dip- 

: a contagious bacterial disease with fever in which the air passages become coated with a membranous layer that often obstructs breathing

diphtheritic

ˌdif-thə-ˈrit-ik 

ˌdip-

adjective

Medical Definition

diphtheria

noun

diph·​the·​ria dif-ˈthir-ē-ə  dip- 

: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium (C. diphtheriae) which produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system

diphtherial

-ē-əl 

adjective