upper respiratory infection
3
3.3
- noun
- /ˈʌpər ˌrɛspəˈrɑːtəri ɪnˈfɛkʃən/
- Specialized
:
infección respiratoria superior
- Symptoms of an upper respiratory infection can include a sore throat and nasal congestion.
- colds and upper respiratory infections
- acute upper respiratory infection
- upper respiratory infection in children
Examples
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According to the AAP (2007), children probably have more colds or upper respiratory infections than any other illness (APA, 2007b).
Academic text (2007) -
As a matter of fact, colds and upper respiratory infections are the #1 reason why patients visit their doctors.
Blog text (25) -
Apparently, he developed an upper-respiratory infection.
-
Allergies and other upper respiratory infections can also be problems.
Academic text (2006) -
Avoid close contact with people who have colds or other upper respiratory infections.
Blog text (11) -
Polyposis may develop quickly after an aggressive upper respiratory infection.
Academic text (1994) -
We undertook the study during the spring months when upper respiratory infections are diagnosed most frequently.
Academic text (2007) -
Ten (33%) of the patients we studied related the onset of symptoms to the presence of an upper respiratory infection.
Academic text (1996) -
Upper respiratory infections, sinusitis, rhinitis, and nasal congestion are relatively common during pregnancy.
Academic text (2003) -
Respiratory problems resulting from asthma, exercise-induced asthma, or short-term illnesses, including upper respiratory infections, are associated with a repetitive cough.
Academic text (2008)
Synonyms
1
2.3
Illness in the throat that makes it sore and hard to swallow
1
3.4
An infection of the nose or throat that is like a cold
1
6.3
Swelling and irritation of the area behind the nose and above the throat that causes cold symptoms
Swelling or infection of the nose and sinuses that causes a blocked nose and facial pain
Surface Forms
Morphology
upper + respiratory + infection
The phrase is a straightforward composition of 'upper' (located toward the top) + 'respiratory' (relating to breathing organs) + 'infection' (illness caused by microbes), so its meaning — an infection in the upper respiratory tract — is directly derivable from the constituents. This adjective–adjective–noun technical noun phrase follows normal English composition and similar patterns in other languages, making it transparent to a B1 learner who knows the individual words.
Etymology
Upper respiratory infection paints a simple picture: upper means the top parts, respiratory means the parts we use to breathe, for example the nose and throat, and infection means germs that make you sick. So, it means 'an infection affecting the nose, throat, or sinuses'.