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Glite Dictionary
Strep pneumo

Strep pneumo

5.3
A short name for a germ that causes pneumonia and other lung infections
  • noun
  • /strɛp ˈnjuːmoʊ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : Strep pneumo
  • Vaccination against Strep pneumo is recommended for young children and older adults.

Examples

  • Many cases of bacterial pneumonia are caused by Strep pneumo.

  • The doctor ordered a blood test to check for Strep pneumo infection.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with Strep pneumo.

  • Is Strep pneumo the cause of her symptoms?

  • Many cases of bacterial pneumonia are caused by Strep pneumo.

  • The doctor ordered a blood test to check for Strep pneumo infection.

  • Vaccination against Strep pneumo is recommended for young children and older adults.

Synonyms

pneumococcus
vsStrep pneumo
  • Specialized
1 9.6

A round germ that causes lung infections and other illnesses

is an informal abbreviation rather than the standard or scientific name
Diplococcus pneumoniae
vsStrep pneumo
  • Archaic
9.6

A bacterium now called Streptococcus pneumoniae that causes pneumonia in people and mice

is an informal abbreviation while that name is a historical scientific term

Surface Forms

Strep pneumo singular
Strep pneumos plural
Strep pneumonias plural
Strep pneumo plural

Morphology

strep + pneumo

The sequence combines 'strep' (Streptococcus) with a clipped technical element 'pneumo' (from pneumonia/pneumococcus), so if a learner knows both constituents they can infer it names the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium. However 'pneumo' is a non-standard, medical clipping not listed in general dictionaries and the expression is an informal abbreviation, so the relation is only partially predictable for typical B1 learners.

Etymology

Strep pneumo is a short, informal name doctors use for the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. The part Strep is short for Streptococcus ('a type of bacteria') and pneumo comes from a word for 'lung', so the name simply means 'the strep that affects the lungs' and that's why it refers to the bacteria that cause 'pneumonia'.