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

Examples of pneumonia in a Sentence

He caught pneumonia over the winter.

Recent Examples on the Web

One in 20 children will contract pneumonia, and one in 1,000 children could develop encephalitis, or swelling in the brain. — Brianna Abbott, WSJ, "Washington State Becomes Latest Hot Spot in Measles Outbreak," 23 Jan. 2019 Found in Europe and the U.S., the bacteria can cause cows to develop mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis and other diseases. — Nick Perry, The Seattle Times, "New Zealand to kill 150,000 cows to end bacterial disease," 28 May 2018 Lane was placed on a ventilator and tested for a handful of diseases including hepatitis, pneumonia, and the flu as her condition worsened. — Sarah Klein, Health.com, "This Woman Died From Hantavirus—a Rare Infection Initially Mistaken for the Flu," 27 Apr. 2018 Gavi has worked to distribute the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects children against one of the leading causes of pneumonia, in Congo, as seen in this July 2013 photo. — Bill Gates, WSJ, "Bill Gates: The Best Investment I’ve Ever Made," 16 Jan. 2019 Legionella bacteria can emerge through misting and cooling systems, triggering a severe form of pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems. — Ed White, The Seattle Times, "Judge orders trial of Michigan official on Flint charges," 20 Aug. 2018 The numbers are compiled from death certificates in which a doctor or medical examiner clicked the box for flu and pneumonia, a condition often caused by severe flu cases. — Todd Ackerman, San Antonio Express-News, "Flu killed nearly 10,000 Texans in 2017-2018," 27 June 2018 Legendary Hollywood screenwriter William Goldman has died at the age of 87 from colon cancer and pneumonia, The New York Times reports. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "RIP William Goldman, creator of beloved film, The Princess Bride," 16 Nov. 2018 Ecker’s father, at 89, requires full-time oxygen for emphysema and had contracted pneumonia. — Lauran Neergaard, The Seattle Times, "AP-NORC Poll: Many caregivers neglecting their own health," 15 Oct. 2018

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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about pneumonia

Dictionary Entries near pneumonia

Statistics for pneumonia

Last Updated

8 Feb 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for pneumonia

The first known use of pneumonia was in 1603

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for pneumonia

pneumonia

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pneumonia

medical : a serious disease that affects the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe

See the full definition for pneumonia in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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