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catarrh

[ kuh-tahr ]
/ kəˈtɑr /
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noun
Pathology. inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially of the respiratory tract, accompanied by excessive secretions.
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Origin of catarrh

1350–1400; Middle English <Late Latin catarrhus<Greek katárrous literally, down-flowing, equivalent to katarr(eîn) to flow down (kata-cata- + rheîn to flow) + -ous, variant of -eos (theme vowel + adj. suffix)

OTHER WORDS FROM catarrh

ca·tarrh·al, ca·tarrh·ous, adjectiveca·tarrh·al·ly, adverbnon·ca·tar·rhal, adjectivepost·ca·tarrh·al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use catarrh in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for catarrh

catarrh
/ (kəˈtɑː) /

noun
inflammation of a mucous membrane with increased production of mucus, esp affecting the nose and throat in the common cold
the mucus so formed

Derived forms of catarrh

catarrhal or catarrhous, adjective

Word Origin for catarrh

C16: via French from Late Latin catarrhus, from Greek katarrous, from katarrhein to flow down, from kata- down + rhein to flow
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
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