tuberculosis

noun

tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs How to pronounce tuberculosis (audio)
tyu̇-
plural tuberculoses tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-ˌsēz How to pronounce tuberculosis (audio)
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

Examples of tuberculosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Deaths worldwide have generally been shifting away from infectious disease, with sharp declines in deaths from measles, diarrheal diseases and tuberculosis, according to IHME. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025 Currently, researchers typically use 2D and animal models to study lung diseases like tuberculosis, but these are limited bynot accurately reflecting the shape and behavior of human lungs. Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 Innovation High School and county officials are warning of possible tuberculosis exposures at the charter school’s Chula Vista learning center this summer. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025 For more on these adorable heroes—which are also being trained to sniff out tuberculosis in humans—check out this week’s episode. Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tuberculosis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tuberculosis was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Tuberculosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuberculosis. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tuberculosis

noun
tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis t(y)u̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs How to pronounce tuberculosis (audio)
: a disease of human beings and some other vertebrates caused by a bacterium and usually marked by wasting, fever, and formation of cheesy tubercles that in human beings occur mostly in the lungs
tuberculous
t(y)u̇-ˈbər-kyə-ləs
adjective

Medical Definition

tuberculosis

noun
tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis t(y)u̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs How to pronounce tuberculosis (audio)
plural tuberculoses -ˌsēz How to pronounce tuberculosis (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on tuberculosis

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