laryngitis

American  

[lar-uhn-jahy-tis] / ˌlær ənˈdʒaɪ tɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. inflammation of the larynx, often with accompanying sore throat, hoarseness or loss of voice, and dry cough.

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laryngitis British  

/ ˌlærɪnˈdʒaɪtɪs, ˌlærɪnˈdʒɪtɪk /

noun

1. inflammation of the larynx

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laryngitis Scientific  

/ lăr′ĭn-jī′tĭs /

1. Inflammation of the larynx, usually caused by a virus and characterized by hoarseness.

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Other Word Forms

• laryngitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of laryngitis

First recorded in 1815–25; laryng- + -itis

Compare meaning

How does laryngitis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pharyngitis vs. laryngitis
• laryngitis vs. bronchitis

Explanation

If your throat is very sore and your voice is hoarse, you may have laryngitis. Laryngitis happens when the larynx gets red, painful, and swollen. Some people temporarily lose the ability to speak at all when they get laryngitis, while others can only talk in a hoarse whisper. Laryngitis has many different causes, some of which can be spread between people, like the flu, and others which can't, like allergies or simply talking too long or loudly. Laryngitis is a medical Latin term that combines larynx, "the upper windpipe" in Greek, and -itis, "inflammation."

Example Sentences

Laryngitis had forced her to skip a concert at London's Albert Hall, and she had a fine prima-donna tribute for the audience.

From Time Magazine Archive

Laryngitis, bronchitis, tonsilitis, had claimed me as their own.

From A Truthful Woman in Southern California by Sanborn, Kate

Laryngitis, either alone or complicated with pharyngitis, relaxation of the vocal ligaments, and sometimes paralysis of one of them, are the most frequent results of this bad habit.

From The Child-Voice in Singing treated from a physiological and a practical standpoint and especially adapted to schools and boy choirs by Howard, Francis E.

Laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia in this disease are not of greater gravity than they are when occurring from other causes.

From Special Report on Diseases of the Horse by Michener, Charles B.

The lines on this subject by the Greek poet Laryngitis are familiar to all lovers of that great master of classic verse, and I shall not undertake to quote from them here.

From Europe Revised by Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury)