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

Vaccinations against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) and chickenpox remain recommended for all children. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026

Advertisement Under the new schedule, the CDC continues to recommend vaccinations for all children for chickenpox, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, pneumococcal conjugate, Haemophilus influenzae type b (HiB), measles, mumps, and rubella. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Jan. 2026

In the announcement Monday, officials said immunizations recommended for all children would still include vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) and varicella (chickenpox). —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 6 Jan. 2026

The combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, known as the DTP vaccine, emerged in 1948, and the Salk polio vaccine arrived in 1955, but recommendations for when and how to give them varied by state, by physician and even by neighborhood. —Jake Scott, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 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