meningitis
pronunciation
How to pronounce meningitis in British English:
UK [ˌmenɪnˈdʒaɪtɪs]
How to pronounce meningitis in American English:
US [ˌmɛnɪnˈdʒaɪtɪs]
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- Noun:
- infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the meninges (the tissues that surround the brain or spinal cord) usually caused by a bacterial infection; symptoms include headache and stiff neck and fever and nausea
Word Origin
- meningitis (n.)
- "inflammation of the meninges," 1825, coined from Modern Latin meninga, from Greek meninx (genitive meningos) "membrane," in medical Latin especially that of the brain (see member) + -itis "inflammation." Related: Meningitic.
Example
- 1. Similarly , meningitis outbreaks in africa are strongly correlated with drought .
- 2. More seriously , doctors warn that other ailments , from measles to meningitis , may be misdiagnosed , with potentially tragic consequences .
- 3. Meningitis has already struck one camp .
- 4. My father went completely blind 4 years ago due to meningitis .
- 5. These could be signs of meningitis , a potentially life-threatening infection .