influenza

[ in-floo-en-zuh ]

/ ˌɪn fluˈɛn zə /

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See synonyms for influenza on Thesaurus.com

noun

Pathology. an acute, commonly epidemic disease, occurring in several forms, caused by numerous rapidly mutating viral strains and characterized by respiratory symptoms and general prostration.Compare flu.

Veterinary Pathology. an acute, contagious disease occurring in horses and swine, characterized by fever, depression, and catarrhal inflammations of the eyes, nasal passages, and bronchi, and caused by a virus.

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showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

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Origin of influenza

1735–45; <Italian <Medieval Latin influentiainfluence

OTHER WORDS FROM influenza

in·flu·en·zal, adjectivein·flu·en·za·like, adjectivepost·in·flu·en·zal, adjective

Words nearby influenza

influence, influence peddler, influencer, influent, influential, influenza, influenza A, influenza B, influenza C, influenzal pneumonia, influenza virus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use influenza in a sentence

It quickly published results of an early human test of a new mRNA influenza vaccine and would initiate a large series of clinical studies involving diseases including Zika.
The next act for messenger RNA could be bigger than covid vaccines|David Rotman|February 5, 2021|MIT Technology Review
The phenomenon is not only in the United States — worldwide, rates of influenza are nearly off-the-charts low.
How COVID-19 Ended Flu Season Before It Started|Maggie Koerth (maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com)|February 4, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
In that month alone, influenza claimed the lives of nearly 200,000 Americans, roughly quadrupling the country’s combat deaths for the entire war period.
The key to combating conspiracy theories about coronavirus vaccines|Cameron Givens|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
Vaccinations for influenza, pertussis and polio, for example, can stop people from getting severely ill if infected, but those people could still be contagious.
What do COVID-19 vaccines mean for daily life in the months ahead?|Erin Garcia de Jesus|January 29, 2021|Science News

Coronaviruses, which generally show less seasonal variation than the influenza virus, tend to have a weak response to changing temperatures.
The coronavirus in winter may be worse than scientists thought|Michael J. Coren|January 24, 2021|Quartz
With enough changing of the influenza RNA over time, the vaccine no longer provokes the “right” immune response.
When You Get the Flu This Winter, You Can Blame Anti-Vaxxers|Kent Sepkowitz|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Though this too is debatable given that 25,000 to 40,000 people a year die of influenza—the vast majority of them unvaccinated.
When You Get the Flu This Winter, You Can Blame Anti-Vaxxers|Kent Sepkowitz|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And right now in the US, there is an FDA-approved inhaled vaccine to prevent influenza called FluMist.
Powdered Measles Vaccine Could Be Huge for Developing World|Kent Sepkowitz|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Unlike influenza, it is incapable of traveling through tiny microscopic particles.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola|Abby Haglage|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These new cases, both real and merely suspected, are coming right as we approach the cusp of influenza season.
Parents’ Ebola Panic Is Taking Over My Clinic|Russell Saunders|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The next day, as it happened, I had to go to bed with influenza, and wrote him that I might not get out for a week.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
For example, a dreadful influenza epidemic occurred followed by a severe fuel shortage due to a railroad strike.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
I am still alive, and in spite of the influenza perfectly well.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2)|Edward Gibbon
After the other seven were almost wholly recovered Henry lay down to influenza on his own account.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
Influenza, called popularly the grippe, is caused by the bacillus influenzae, which was isolated by Pfeiffer in 1891.
Essays In Pastoral Medicine|Austin Malley

British Dictionary definitions for influenza

influenza

/ (ˌɪnflʊˈɛnzə) /

noun

a highly contagious and often epidemic viral disease characterized by fever, prostration, muscular aches and pains, and inflammation of the respiratory passagesAlso called: grippe, informal flu

Derived forms of influenza

influenzal, adjective

Word Origin for influenza

C18: from Italian, literally: influence, hence, incursion, epidemic (first applied to influenza in 1743)

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 influenza

influenza

[ ĭn′flōō-ĕn′zə ]

An acute contagious viral infection, commonly occurring in epidemics or pandemics, and characterized by inflammation of the respiratory tract and by the sudden onset, fever, chills, muscular pain, headache, and severe prostration.grippe

Other words from influenza

in′flu•en′zal adj.

Scientific definitions for influenza

influenza

[ ĭn′flōō-ĕn′zə ]

A highly contagious infectious disease that is caused by any of various viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae and is characterized by fever, respiratory symptoms, fatigue, and muscle pain. It commonly occurs in epidemics, one of which killed 20 million people between 1917 and 1919.

Word History

Since ancient times, influenza has periodically swept the world. Until recently, people could not tell how this illness, which we call the flu, could spread so widely. Before people knew that organisms cause disease, they thought the stars influenced the spread of influenza. Influenza comes ultimately from the Latin word influentia, meaning influence of the stars. Today, however, the stars are no longer blamed for the flu. Inhaling influenza viruses causes the spread of the illness.

Cultural definitions for influenza

influenza

[ (in-flooh-en-zuh) ]

Commonly called the flu; an acute and infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by a virus and characterized by fever, muscle pain, headache, and inflammation of the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract.

influenza

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Origin of influenza

OTHER WORDS FROM influenza

Words nearby influenza

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How to use influenza in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for influenza

Derived forms of influenza

Word Origin for influenza

Medical definitions for influenza

Other words from influenza

Scientific definitions for influenza

Word History

Cultural definitions for influenza