bronchiolitis

American  

[brahng-ki-oh-lahy-tis] / ˌbrɑŋ kɪ oʊˈlaɪ tɪs /

noun

1. Pathology. inflammation of the bronchioles; a viral infection most common in infants and young children.

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bronchiolitis British  

/ ˌbroŋkiəʊˈlaɪtɪs /

noun

1. a condition in which the small airways in the lungs become inflamed by a virus. It is most common in infants, who become breathless in severe cases. Recurrent attacks may lead to asthma

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bronchiolitis Scientific  

/ brŏng′kē-ə-lī′tĭs /

1. An acute viral infection of the bronchioles seen mostly in infants and young children, caused most frequently by the respiratory syncytial virus.

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Other Word Forms

• bronchiolitic
  adjective

Example Sentences

When her son Kit was a baby, she experienced a panic attack when he was poorly with bronchiolitis and he had to go to hospital.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

RSV can cause pneumonia, as well as a severe inflammation of the lungs’ small airways, known as bronchiolitis, the California Department of Public Health said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

RSV can cause mild symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and fever or lead to more severe conditions such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2024

These antibodies help protect against lower-respiratory tract disease, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, caused by RSV.

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2023

When I was 47, I was diagnosed with obliterative bronchiolitis.

From Washington Post • Feb. 22, 2023