pneumonia

noun

pneu·mo·nia | \ nu̇-ˈmō-nyə

, nyu̇- \

Definition of pneumonia

: an acute disease that is marked by inflammation of lung tissue accompanied by infiltration of alveoli and often bronchioles with white blood cells (such as neutrophils) and fibrinous exudate, is characterized by fever, chills, cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, chest pain, and reduced lung expansion, and is typically caused by an infectious agent (such as a bacterium, virus, or fungus) — see bronchopneumonia, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia — compare pneumonitis

Example Sentences Phrases Containing pneumonia Learn More About pneumonia

Examples of pneumonia in a Sentence

He caught pneumonia over the winter.

Recent Examples on the Web Now Ruben had pneumonia, and once more his sister took charge. — Eric A. Gordon, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022 His kidneys rebounded, but from then on, dad had chronic pneumonia and went back and forth from rehab to the hospital. — Melinda Butler Mayo, Good Housekeeping, 26 July 2022 Post-mortem examinations revealed that many of the kits had pneumonia, said Dr. Betsy Elsmo, a diagnostic pathologist at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory who performed the necropsies. — New York Times, 18 June 2022 There’s a saying in my community that when America gets a cold, Blacks get pneumonia. — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 Following an internal investigation, the Sheriff’s Department announced in August that Gomez died from COVID-19-related pneumonia. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2022 Overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions for refugees are breeding grounds for cholera and other diarrheal diseases, not to mention respiratory plagues like Covid-19, pneumonia and tuberculosis. — New York Times, 26 Mar. 2022 At the aquarium, the employees treated the 15 turtles for pneumonia, dehydration, emaciation, shell and skin lesions, eye lesions, and blood infections — all common side effects for sea turtles exposed to cold temperatures. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 3 Mar. 2022 Priscilla Murray Gibson, the mother of Tyrese Gibson, died on Monday after being hospitalized with Covid-19 and pneumonia last week, the actor said. — Wilson Wong, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2022 See More

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

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Last Updated

11 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Pneumonia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pneumonia. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for pneumonia

pneumonia

noun

pneu·mo·nia | \ nu̇-ˈmō-nyə

, nyu̇-ˈmō- \

Kids Definition of pneumonia

: a serious illness affecting the lungs that is marked especially by fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing

pneumonia

noun

pneu·mo·nia | \ n(y)u̇-ˈmō-nyə

Medical Definition of pneumonia

: an acute disease that is marked by inflammation of lung tissue accompanied by infiltration of alveoli and often bronchioles with white blood cells (as neutrophils) and fibrinous exudate, is characterized by fever, chills, cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, chest pain, and reduced lung expansion, and is typically caused by an infectious agent (as a bacterium, virus, or fungus) — see bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia