tuberculosis
pronunciation
How to pronounce tuberculosis in British English:
UK [tju:ˌbɜ:kjuˈləʊsɪs]
How to pronounce tuberculosis in American English:
US [tuˌbɜrkjəˈloʊsɪs]
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- Noun:
- infection transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of tubercle bacilli and manifested in fever and small lesions (usually in the lungs but in various other parts of the body in acute stages)
Word Origin
- tuberculosis
- tuberculosis: see truffle
- tuberculosis (n.)
- 1860, "disease characterized by tubercules," a medical Latin hybrid, from Latin tuberculum "small swelling, pimple," diminutive of tuber "lump" (see tuber) + -osis, a suffix of Greek origin. So called in reference to the tubercules which form in the lungs. Originally in reference to any disease characterized by tubercules; since the discovery in 1882 of the tubercule bacillus by German bacteriologist Robert Koch (1843-1910) restricted to disease caused by this. Abbreviation T.B. attested from 1912.
Example
- 1. Tuberculosis is the disease that will not go away .
- 2. Diabetics are three times as likely to contract tuberculosis .
- 3. Several hospital trips later , he was diagnosed with tuberculosis .
- 4. The world is already suffering pandemics of aids , tuberculosis and malaria .
- 5. He spent 13 more years in jail , contracting tuberculosis .