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Synonyms

flu

American  
[floo] / flu /

noun

  1. influenza.

  2. a specific variety of influenza, usually named for its point of dissemination or its animal vector.

    Hong Kong flu; swine flu.


flu British  
/ fluː /

noun

  1. short for influenza

  2. any of various viral infections, esp a respiratory or intestinal infection

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

flu Scientific  
/ flo̅o̅ /
  1. See influenza


Etymology

Origin of flu

First recorded in 1830–40; shortened form

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A spokesman for the Minnesota children’s hospital, which has two main locations in the Minneapolis area, said it is seeing fewer patients coming into its emergency rooms than during a typical cold and flu season.

From The Wall Street Journal

The couple’s son got pinkeye and the flu at the same time.

From The Wall Street Journal

The NHS is already under huge pressure this winter, with rising flu cases and other winter infections doing the rounds.

From BBC

Asked whether the US would continue to participate in information sharing for and development of the annual global flu vaccine, officials were not sure.

From BBC

She covered the beverage industry, then SARS, flu, Ebola and other epidemics and chronic diseases as a public health reporter in the Atlanta bureau.

From The Wall Street Journal