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dysentery

dysentery

15 7.9
A serious disease of the intestines that causes severe diarrhea with blood and mucus
  • noun
  • /ˈdɪsənˌtɛri/
translation icon : disentería
  • Intestinal obstruction, anaemia, malnutrition, dysentery syndrome, fever, dehydration, vomiting, and colitis are the major complications associated with STH infections.
  • bacillary dysentery
  • amoebic dysentery
  • diarrhea and dysentery

He gets sick, he gets dysentery and diphtheria.

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Examples

  • In addition, hunger, malaria, cholera, dysentery, and infectious diseases are a constant battle.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The doctor explained that my dysentery was caused by contaminated water.

  • All these men have dysentery.

  • If millions of U.S. students had dysentery, the CDC would be on that in a minute.

    Academic text (2016)
  • On the ship, on the way to Surinam, he had fallen ill with dysentery.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "Then the rest of them died of dehydration and dysentery because they were eating half-rotten food."

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Thanks in part to water pollution, viral hepatitis and dysentery top the list of infectious diseases in China.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The passing of bloody stools was further defined as dysentery, an acute form of diarrhea.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Diarrhea, including bacillary dysentery, accounted for 32.6% of those treated.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Dysentery, measles, pneumonia, no vaccines, of course, so death rates run 15 to 20 people a day in every village, and there's land mines, lots of them.

Synonyms

amebic dysentery
vsdysentery
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A serious infection in the intestines caused by a parasite, causing severe diarrhea and often blood in the stool

is a general intestinal infection that can arise from different infectious agents
shigellosis
vsdysentery
  • Specialized
1 9.9

An illness that happens when bacteria infect the stomach and intestines and cause diarrhea, fever, and belly pain

usually involves severe diarrhea with blood and mucus as a defining feature
bacillary dysentery
vsdysentery
  • Specialized
7.2

An infection of the intestines caused by bacteria that causes severe diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain

is a general intestinal disease that can result from various infections not only bacteria

Antonyms

1.0

The condition of a person's body and mind, especially being free from illness or injury

Compounds

amebic dysentery
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A serious infection in the intestines caused by a parasite, causing severe diarrhea and often blood in the stool

bacillary dysentery
  • Specialized
7.2

An infection of the intestines caused by bacteria that causes severe diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain

How Serious

dysentery
15 7.9
diarrhea
  • US
81 2.1

Surface Forms

dysentery singular
dysenteries plural

Morphology

dysentery = dys + enter + y

Although formed from the medical combining elements dys- (bad/difficult) + enter- (intestine) plus -y, these are specialized Greek-based elements not productive or familiar to an average B1 learner, so the meaning cannot be reliably derived from the parts.

Etymology

Dysentery comes from Greek parts dys- meaning 'bad' or 'difficult' and enteron meaning 'intestine', the same root you see in intestinal. So dysentery literally names a 'bad intestine' problem, which is why it means a serious intestinal illness with severe bloody diarrhea.