hepatitis C

noun

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a flavivirus (species Hepatitis C virus of the genus Hepacivirus), is often asymptomatic in its early stages but may be marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, and muscle and joint pain, and is usually transmitted by infected blood (such as by injection of an illicit drug, blood transfusion, or exposure to blood or blood products)

Note: The acute or short-term stage of hepatitis C typically progresses to a long-term or chronic infection which often leads to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

Examples of hepatitis C in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since late April, without help from the CDC's hepatitis lab, health workers in Florida had not been able to confirm any additional cases as part of an ongoing hepatitis C outbreak in that state, said another worker at the CDC. —Chiara Eisner, NPR, 12 June 2025

At higher doses, patients stay on treatment longer, use illicit opioids less often, have fewer complications such as hepatitis C, have fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and suffer less from chronic pain. —Lucinda Grande, The Conversation, 27 May 2025

Using samples from the laboratory's collection of nearly 1 million frozen specimens, scientists helped make the initial discovery of the hepatitis C virus in the 1980s. —Chiara Eisner, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025

Egypt recently eradicated hepatitis C in under a year by combining bold public health strategies with cutting-edge medicine. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hepatitis C

• actuary
• antiquary
• bolsheviki
• calliope
• chelicerae
• covenantee
• cruciferae
• diastole
• distributee
• hyperbole
• interviewee
• origami

Medical Definition

hepatitis C

noun

-ˈsē 

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a flavivirus (species Hepatitis C virus of the genus Hepacivirus), is often asymptomatic in its early stages but may be marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, and muscle and joint pain, and is usually transmitted by infected blood (as by injection of an illicit drug, blood transfusion, or exposure to blood or blood products)

Note: The acute or short-term stage of hepatitis C typically progresses to a long-term or chronic infection which often leads to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.