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
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Examples of pneumonia in a Sentence
He caught pneumonia over the winter.
Recent Examples of pneumonia from the Web
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His father, Harry Morrison, a member of the Meeting Creek Lodge 641 in Hardin County, had died during the ’37 flood from pneumonia.
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Keiko died in 2003 after the sudden onset of pneumonia in the Taknes fjord in Norway.
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Hospitals routinely put asthmatics with pneumonia in intensive care, improving their outcomes.
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Several guests were transported by EMS to hospitals for treatment of potentially life-threatening situations, such as pneumonia and insulin shock.
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A couple of days in, a CT scan of the patient’s chest suggested the possibility of pneumonia.
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With his three children by his bedside, Jay Higginbotham died of pneumonia and complications from Parkinson's disease Tuesday morning, June 20, at a hospital in Mobile, according to his daughter, Jeanne Mercier.
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After spending a few days on the disabled list this month, with a touch of pneumonia, righthander Shawn Haviland didn't waste time reestablishing himself as a solid starter.
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The judges said both devices nearly met the benchmarks for accurately diagnosing 13 diseases including anaemia, lung disease, diabetes, pneumonia and urinary tract infection.
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.
Origin and Etymology of pneumonia
New Latin, from Greek, from pneumōn lung, alteration of pleumōn — more at pulmonary
PNEUMONIA Defined for English Language Learners
pneumonia
playDefinition of pneumonia for English Language Learners
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medical : a serious disease that affects the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe
PNEUMONIA Defined for Kids
pneumonia
playDefinition of pneumonia for Students
: a serious illness affecting the lungs that is marked especially by fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing
Medical Dictionary
pneumonia
playMedical 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
Learn More about pneumonia
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See words that rhyme with pneumonia Spanish Central: Translation of pneumonia Nglish: Translation of pneumonia for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pneumonia for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pneumonia
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