pertussis

noun

per·​tus·​sis pər-ˈtə-səs How to pronounce pertussis (audio)

Examples of pertussis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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More than 30 states saw declines in vaccination rates for polio, varicella and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis during the 2023-24 school year. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2025 The same has been true of the polio and DTaP vaccines, with the latter protecting against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025 Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria, Bordetella pertussis, which can spread from person to person through the air via droplets of saliva, according to the DHS. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024 In 2023 more than one in five children under six months old who had pertussis were hospitalized. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for pertussis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin per- thoroughly + tussis cough

First Known Use

circa 1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pertussis was circa 1772

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pertussis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pertussis. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

pertussis

noun
per·​tus·​sis pər-ˈtəs-əs How to pronounce pertussis (audio)

Medical Definition

pertussis

noun
per·​tus·​sis pər-ˈtəs-əs How to pronounce pertussis (audio)

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