cholera

[ kol-er-uh ]
/ ˈkɒl ər ə /

noun

Also called Asiatic cholera. Pathology. an acute, infectious disease, endemic in India and China and occasionally epidemic elsewhere, characterized by profuse diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, etc.
Veterinary Pathology. any of several diseases of domesticated animals that are characterized by depression, sleepiness, lack of appetite, and diarrhea.Compare fowl cholera, hog cholera.

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Origin of cholera

1600–05 in sense “gastrointestinal disease”; 1800–05 for current sense < Latin: disease caused by bile < Greek choléra; see choler

OTHER WORDS FROM cholera

chol·e·ra·ic [kol-uh-rey-ik] /ˌkɒl əˈreɪ ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby cholera

cholemia, cholent, choleperitoneum, cholepoiesis, choler, cholera, cholera infantum, cholera morbus, choleraic diarrhea, choleresis, choleretic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for cholera

British Dictionary definitions for cholera

cholera
/ (ˈkɒlərə) /

noun

an acute intestinal infection characterized by severe diarrhoea, cramp, etc: caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio commaAlso called: Asiatic cholera, epidemic cholera, Indian cholera

Derived forms of cholera

choleroid, adjective

Word Origin for cholera

C14: from Latin, from Greek kholera jaundice, from kholē bile
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

Medical definitions for cholera

cholera
[ kŏl′ər-ə ]

n.

An acute epidemic infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, extreme loss of fluid and electrolytes, and prostration.
Any of various diseases of domesticated animals marked by severe gastroenteritis.

Other words from cholera

chol′e•ra′ic (-ə-rā′ĭk) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for cholera

cholera
[ kŏl′ər-ə ]

An infectious, sometimes fatal disease of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is spread from contaminated water and food and causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for cholera

cholera
[ (kol-uh-ruh) ]

An acute disease, and an infectious disease, caused by a kind of bacterium that affects the intestines. Transmitted by food or water that has been contaminated with raw sewage, cholera is often fatal and is characterized by severe vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.