tuberculosis

American  

[too-bur-kyuh-loh-sis, tyoo-] / tʊˌbɜr kyəˈloʊ sɪs, tyʊ- /

noun

Pathology.

1. an infectious disease that may affect almost any tissue of the body, especially the lungs, caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and characterized by tubercles.

2. this disease when affecting the lungs; pulmonary phthisis; consumption.

3. any disease caused by a mycobacterium.

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tuberculosis British  

/ tjʊˌbɜːkjʊˈləʊsɪs /

noun

1. Also called: consumption.   phthisis.   TB.  a communicable disease caused by infection with the tubercle bacillus, most frequently affecting the lungs ( pulmonary tuberculosis )

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tuberculosis Scientific  

/ t-bûr′kyə-lō′sĭs /

1. An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is transmitted through inhalation and is characterized by cough, fever, shortness of breath, weight loss, and the appearance of inflammatory substances and tubercles in the lungs. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and can spread to other parts of the body, especially in people with weakened immune systems. Although the incidence of the disease has declined since the introduction of antibiotic treatment in the 1950's, it is still a major public-health problem throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa.

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tuberculosis Cultural  

1. An infectious disease caused by bacteria that mainly attack the lungs. The disease is characterized by the formation of patches, called tubercles, that appear in the lungs and, in later stages, the bones, joints, and other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is treated with combinations of antibiotics and is no longer considered a major health problem in industrialized countries. It was formerly called consumption.

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Discover More

Years ago, tuberculosis (consumption) was a major killer; it often figures in literature and drama.

In recent years, the incidence of tuberculosis has been on the increase in the United States, particularly in large cities, mainly because the strains of the bacterium have developed resistance to antibiotics.

Other Word Forms

• antituberculosis
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tuberculosis

First recorded in 1855–60; from New Latin tūberculōsis; see tubercle, -osis

Explanation

Tuberculosis is a contagious and deadly disease. It mainly affects the lungs, but it can spread to the rest of the body. When a character from 19th century literature coughs into a blood-speckled hanky, tuberculosis is often to blame. Tuberculosis — often called TB — is a serious disease that is now rare. Whew. When someone catches tuberculosis, which is transmitted by tubercle-bacillus through the air, lesions called tubercles grow in the lungs, causing serious health problems. If not treated, the disease can spread throughout the body. TB shows up in a lot of old literature and operas – the Romantic poet John Keats wrote poems about TB and died at age 25 from the disease.

Example Sentences

The US plans to expand the rollout of the drug Lenacapavir by working with an international group, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the Gilead Sciences pharmaceutical company.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

Tuberculosis is their companion in al-Sina, where they are being held indefinitely.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2025

Everything Is Tuberculosis is his way of grappling with this choice, and what happens when we do not, collectively, make the correct choice.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2025

Tuberculosis is still one of the deadliest infectious diseases, causing over one million deaths each year worldwide.

From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2024

Tuberculosis and double pneumonia were raging in those days, and Mameh had a great fear one of her kids would catch that, because in Europe one of her brothers died in a flu epidemic.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride