diphtheria
noun
diph·the·ria
dif-ˈthir-ē-ə 
nonstandard
dip-
: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a gram-positive bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) that produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system
Examples of diphtheria in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The order also doesn’t mention other childhood vaccines that schools across the country require, like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella.
—
Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 14 Feb. 2025
In the winter of 1925, Balto was part of a team that braved subzero temperatures to bring a shipment of antitoxin to the isolated city of Nome, Alaska, where children were dying of diphtheria, a serious infection caused by a highly contagious bacterium.
—David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025
In President Trump's first administration, HHS led the Western Hemisphere's response to the spread of measles and diphtheria across Latin America, says Alex Azar, who was secretary of HHS from 2018 to 2021.
—Simar Bajaj, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
One immunization that isn’t given enough attention, according to the doctor, is Tdap, a combination vaccine that protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for diphtheria
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Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 14 Feb. 2025
In the winter of 1925, Balto was part of a team that braved subzero temperatures to bring a shipment of antitoxin to the isolated city of Nome, Alaska, where children were dying of diphtheria, a serious infection caused by a highly contagious bacterium.
—David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025
In President Trump's first administration, HHS led the Western Hemisphere's response to the spread of measles and diphtheria across Latin America, says Alex Azar, who was secretary of HHS from 2018 to 2021.
—Simar Bajaj, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
One immunization that isn’t given enough attention, according to the doctor, is Tdap, a combination vaccine that protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for diphtheria
Cite this Entry
“Diphtheria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diphtheria. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
diphtheria
noun
diph·the·ria
dif-ˈthir-ē-ə
dip-
dip-
: a contagious bacterial disease with fever in which the air passages become coated with a membranous layer that often obstructs breathing
Medical Definition
diphtheria
noun
diph·the·ria
dif-ˈthir-ē-ə
dip-
dip-
: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium (C. diphtheriae) which produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system
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