tuberculosis

noun

tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs 

tyu̇-

plural tuberculoses tu̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-ˌsēz 

tyu̇-

: a highly variable communicable disease of humans and some other vertebrates that is caused by the tubercle bacillus and rarely in the U.S. by a related mycobacterium (Mycobacterium bovis), that affects especially the lungs but may spread to other areas (such as the kidney or spinal column), and that is characterized by fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, formation of tubercles, caseation, pleural effusions, and fibrosis

Examples of tuberculosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Source: World Resources Institute Ethiopia has dramatically reduced the threat of tuberculosis While largely controlled in some parts of the world, TB continues to be a leading cause of death across Africa. —Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024

The Basile facility quarantined the dorm where the Chinese migrant was housed and conducted tests of the detainees in that dorm for drug-resistant tuberculosis. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 24 Oct. 2024

In the years to follow, Green, a staunch advocate for addressing healthcare inequities, became vocal about access to treatment for tuberculosis around the world. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

In 2022, about 8,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with tuberculosis — and another 13 million were classified as having latent tuberculosis. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tuberculosis

noun

tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis t(y)u̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs 

: a disease of human beings and some other vertebrates caused by a bacterium and usually marked by wasting, fever, and formation of cheesy tubercles that in human beings occur mostly in the lungs

tuberculous

t(y)u̇-ˈbər-kyə-ləs

adjective

Medical Definition

tuberculosis

noun

tu·​ber·​cu·​lo·​sis t(y)u̇-ˌbər-kyə-ˈlō-səs 

plural tuberculoses -ˌsēz 

: a usually chronic highly variable disease that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Mycobacterium (M. tuberculosis) and rarely in the United States by a related mycobacterium (M. bovis), is usually communicated by inhalation of the airborne causative agent, affects especially the lungs but may spread to other areas (as the kidney or spinal column) from local lesions or by way of the lymph or blood vessels, and is characterized by fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, inflammatory infiltrations, formation of tubercles, caseation, pleural effusion, and fibrosis

called also TB