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Glite Dictionary
amebic dysentery

amebic dysentery

1 7.7
A serious infection in the intestines caused by a parasite, causing severe diarrhea and often blood in the stool
  • noun
  • /əˈmiːbɪk ˈdɪsənˌtɛri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : disentería amebiana
  • Amoebic dysentery is often spread through drinking contaminated water during travel.
  • died of amebic dysentery

Examples

  • Almost everyone who went to the Congo then had a struggle to avoid dying of malaria, amoebic dysentery, sleeping sickness, and other all-too-well-known tropical ailments.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Rather than wait for samples to get back from the lab, they just treat for amoebic dysentery anyway.

    Blog text (14)

  • I've also got no metronidazole, and this child has got amebic dysentery!

    The Killing Fields (1984)

  • Symptoms progress to mucousy and bloody stools, which is then referred to as "amoebic dysentery."

    Academic text (2012)

  • And Flagyl, a hardcore antibiotic typically prescribed for amoebic dysentery and other nasties, is also taken after meals.

    Blog text (14)

  • Travelers should be cautious of their food and water to avoid contracting amoebic dysentery.

  • Symptoms of amoebic dysentery include severe diarrhea and abdominal pain, often leading to dehydration.

Synonyms

dysentery
vsamebic dysentery
15 7.9

A serious disease of the intestines that causes severe diarrhea with blood and mucus

is the same infection but named for a parasite cause and contagion route
amebiasis
vsamebic dysentery
  • Specialized
1 9.9

An infection by tiny germs called amoebas that causes diarrhea and stomach pain

is more severe and typically includes bloody diarrhea and intense abdominal pain
amebiosis
vsamebic dysentery
  • Specialized
9.9

An infection caused by tiny one-celled amoebae that makes the stomach hurt

is focused on the severe disease with visible bloody diarrhea
amoebiosis
vsamebic dysentery
  • Specialized
9.9

An infection of the intestines caused by amoebas

is the specific severe intestinal illness usually marked by blood in stool

Surface Forms

amebic dysentery singular
amebic dysenteries plural

Morphology

amebic + dysentery

The phrase is fully compositional: 'amebic' specifies that the condition is related to amoebae and 'dysentery' names the intestinal disease, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it is dysentery caused by amoebae. This modifier+noun medical pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English formation, making it transparent to B1 learners who know the parts.

Etymology

Amebic dysentery comes from tiny single-celled creatures called amebas and the word dysentery, which means 'severe diarrhea'. So the image is of small amebas in the gut causing bad diarrhea, and that is why the name refers to this serious intestinal infection.