tuberculosis

noun tu·ber·cu·lo·sis \ tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs , tyu̇- \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Definition of tuberculosis

plural tuberculoses play \tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-ˌsēz, tyu̇-\

: a highly variable communicable disease of humans and some other vertebrates that is caused by the tubercle bacillus and rarely in the U.S. by a related mycobacterium (Mycobacterium bovis), that affects especially the lungs but may spread to other areas (such as the kidney or spinal column), and that is characterized by fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, formation of tubercles, caseation, pleural effusions, and fibrosis

See tuberculosis defined for English-language learners

See tuberculosis defined for kids

Recent Examples of tuberculosis from the Web

At the turn of the 20th century, tuberculosis posed a particular problem for black communities.

— leila mcneill, Smithsonian, "The Woman Who Challenged the Idea that Black Communities Were Destined for Disease," 6 June 2018
Tillie Anderson pedaled her last race that year, soon after her husband died of tuberculosis.

— kate siber, Outside Online, "This Seamstress Conquered Bike Racing in the 1890s," 31 May 2018
With an endowment of more than $40 billion, the foundation spends more than $4 billion a year to provide vaccines, fight diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and improve the lives of subsistence farmers in the world’s poorest countries.

— sandi doughton, The Seattle Times, "Gates Foundation pledges $158 million to fight poverty in U.S.," 3 May 2018
But Venezuela’s is among the continent’s most violent, a problem exacerbated by food and medicine shortages, said Mr. Prado, who said malnutrition and tuberculosis are rife behind bars.

— mayela armas and, WSJ, "Families of Venezuela Fire Victims Demand Answers," 29 Mar. 2018
The main hospital building is an example of an innovative, architectural approach to treating tuberculosis, according to the historical society.

— karen pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Former Muirdale Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Wauwatosa placed on the state Register of Historic Places," 29 May 2018
The sharp decline in population wasn't just due to violent deaths, but also diseases brought by the Europeans, including the common cold, flu, measles, venereal diseases, tuberculosis and smallpox.

— aaron smith, CNN, "The 'forgotten people': When death came to the Torres Strait," 25 May 2018
In this alternate universe, scientists and labs could switch their focus away from developing yet another iteration of an erectile dysfunction drug towards tackling challenges like tuberculosis.

— fran quigley, The New Republic, "Building a NASA for Prescription Drugs," 10 May 2018
That view may strike many health experts as premature when malaria, tuberculosis and HIV are still killing millions every year, but the epidemiological shift will ensure that ever more resources will be consumed by chronic conditions.

— The Economist, "The epidemiological transition is now spreading to the emerging world," 26 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of tuberculosis

New Latin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1839

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

TUBERCULOSIS Defined for English Language Learners

tuberculosis

noun

Definition of tuberculosis for English Language Learners

medical : a serious disease that mainly affects the lungs

TUBERCULOSIS Defined for Kids

tuberculosis

noun tu·ber·cu·lo·sis \ tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs , tyu̇- \

Definition of tuberculosis for Students

: a serious disease that mostly affects the lungs and in which there is fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing

Medical Dictionary

tuberculosis

noun tu·ber·cu·lo·sis \ t(y)u̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs \

medical Definition of tuberculosis

plural tuberculoses play \-ˌsēz\

: a usually chronic highly variable disease that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Mycobacterium (M. tuberculosis) and rarely in the United States by a related mycobacterium (M. bovis), is usually communicated by inhalation of the airborne causative agent, affects especially the lungs but may spread to other areas (as the kidney or spinal column) from local lesions or by way of the lymph or blood vessels, and is characterized by fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, inflammatory infiltrations, formation of tubercles, caseation, pleural effusion, and fibrosis — called also TB