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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Diseases including smallpox, typhus and pneumonia killed nearly eight percent of the prison population.
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When Fan Ho -- who was also a celebrated actor and film director -- died of pneumonia last year, aged 84, tributes streamed in from the art world.
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Most cases are not fatal, but, if left untreated, the virus can progress to pneumonia.
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Eblen, who lives in a veterans home in Anna, Ill., had been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia.
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Many homeless people live without regular preventive care, including those who are elderly or living outdoors with underlying or chronic conditions such as pneumonia or heart disease, Duchin said.
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In the final stages of the disease, people have trouble eating and carrying on a conversation, are vulnerable to pneumonia and infections, and often need around-the-clock care.
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Mr. Croatti, 74, died on Tuesday from complications associated with pneumonia, the company said.
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If left untreated, a bubonic plague infection can kill a person in as little as two days, either by causing lymph nodes to burst and flood the bloodstream, or by attacking lung tissue to cause pneumonia.
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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