pneumonia

[ noo-mohn-yuh, -moh-nee-uh, nyoo- ]

nounPathology.
  1. inflammation of the lungs with congestion.

  2. Also called lobar pneumonia. an acute disease of the lungs, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and characterized by fever, a cough with blood-tinged phlegm, and difficult breathing.

Compare Meanings

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

Origin of pneumonia

1
First recorded in 1595–1605; from New Latin, from Greek pneumonía; equivalent to pneumon- + -ia

Words Nearby pneumonia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pneumonia in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pneumonia

pneumonia

/ (njuːˈməʊnɪə) /


noun
  1. inflammation of one or both lungs, in which the air sacs (alveoli) become filled with liquid, which renders them useless for breathing. It is usually caused by bacterial (esp pneumococcal) or viral infection

Origin of pneumonia

1
C17: New Latin from Greek from pneumōn lung

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for pneumonia

pneumonia

[ nu-mōn ]


  1. An acute or chronic disease marked by inflammation of the lungs, especially an infectious disease caused by viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens, such as mycoplasmas. Individuals with pneumonia often have abnormal chest x-rays that show areas with fluid in the infected part of the lungs.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for pneumonia

pneumonia

[ (nuh-mohn-yuh) ]


A disease characterized by inflammation of the lungs. Pneumonia can be caused by many factors, including bacterial infections, viral infections, and the inhalation of chemical irritants.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.