cholera

noun

chol·​era ˈkä-lə-rə How to pronounce cholera (audio)
: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals usually marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms
especially : an acute diarrheal disease caused by an enterotoxin produced by a comma-shaped gram-negative bacillus (Vibrio cholerae synonym V. comma) when it is present in large numbers in the proximal (see proximal sense 2) part of the human small intestine

Examples of cholera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Similarly, in colonial Bengal where malaria and cholera epidemics ravaged the countryside, ghost stories abounded about necropolises. Tithi Bhattacharya / Made By History, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 Gavi now supports stockpiles of outbreak-specific vaccines for cholera, yellow fever, meningococcal disease and Ebola so the countries most affected can focus their health-care resources on chronic disease, snakebites, cancer and HIV, among other conditions. Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024 Children in particular are at risk for a host of vaccine-preventable illnesses, including measles, cholera and pneumonia. Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024 The costs of this misadventure have been high, especially for Yemeni civilians: untold numbers have been injured, and some 13,500 have died, according to some estimates, many owing to an outbreak of cholera made possible by the intense devastation caused by the Saudi bombardment. Steven A. Cook, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020 See all Example Sentences for cholera 

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cholera was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near cholera

Cite this Entry

“Cholera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cholera. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cholera

noun
chol·​era ˈkäl-ə-rə How to pronounce cholera (audio)
: any of several diseases usually marked by severe vomiting and diarrhea

Medical Definition

cholera

noun
chol·​era ˈkäl-ə-rə How to pronounce cholera (audio)
: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals usually marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms: as
a
: an acute diarrheal disease caused by an enterotoxin produced by various strains of a comma-shaped gram-negative bacterium of the genus Vibrio (V. cholerae synonym V. comma) when it is present in large numbers in the proximal part of the human small intestine see asiatic cholera
choleraic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on cholera

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!