poliomyelitis

noun

po·​lio·​my·​eli·​tis ˌpō-lē-(ˌ)ō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlī-təs 

: polio

Examples of poliomyelitis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the next 25 years, there would be 51.2 million cases of measles, 9.9 million cases of rubella and 4.3 million cases of poliomyelitis. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

There is no cure for paralytic poliomyelitis. —Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2022

Cases of paralytic poliomyelitis disease plummeted from over 15,000 a year in the early 1950s to under 100 in the 1960s and then down to fewer than 10 in the 1970s. —Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2022

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under age 5 that is mainly spread through contact with human fecal matter. —Hyder Abbasi, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin (in German context), from Greek poliós "pale gray (as of human hair), grizzled" + -o- -o- + myelós "marrow" (alluding to the gray matter of the ventral horns of the spinal cord, which the disease affects) + New Latin -itis -itis — more at fallow entry 1, myelo-

Note: The word was apparently introduced by the German physician Adolf Kussmaul (1822-1902), in a publication by his assistant, Anton Frey, "Aus der Klinik des Herrn Geh. Rath Prof. Kussmaul in Freiburg i. B. Ein Fall von subacuter Lähmung Erwachsener—wahrscheinlich Poliomyelitis anterior subacuta," Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 11. Jahrgang, No. 45 (9 November 1874), pp. 566-68. Compare earlier New Latin myelitis myelitis.

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for poliomyelitis

• diverticulitis
• epididymitis
• osteoarthritis
• periodontitis
• polymyositis
• pyelonephritis
• tenosynovitis
• adenitis
• arteritis
• blepharitis
• cervicitis
• cholangitis

Kids Definition

poliomyelitis

noun

po·​lio·​my·​eli·​tis ˌpō-lē-ˌō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlīt-əs 

: an infectious virus disease marked by inflammation of nerve cells in the spinal cord accompanied by fever and often paralysis and wasting of muscles

called also infantile paralysis

Medical Definition

poliomyelitis

noun

po·​lio·​my·​eli·​tis ˌpō-lē-(ˌ)ō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlīt-əs 

plural poliomyelitides -ˈlit-ə-ˌdēz 

: polio

poliomyelitic

-ˈlit-ik

adjective