pneumonia

American  

[noo-mohn-yuh, -moh-nee-uh, nyoo-] / nʊˈmoʊn yə, -ˈmoʊ ni ə, nyʊ- /

noun

Pathology.

1. inflammation of the lungs with congestion.

2. Also called lobar pneumonia.  an acute disease of the lungs, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and characterized by fever, a cough with blood-tinged phlegm, and difficult breathing.

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pneumonia British  

/ njuːˈməʊnɪə /

noun

1. inflammation of one or both lungs, in which the air sacs (alveoli) become filled with liquid, which renders them useless for breathing. It is usually caused by bacterial (esp pneumococcal) or viral infection

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pneumonia Scientific  

/ n-mōn′yə /

1. An acute or chronic disease marked by inflammation of the lungs, especially an infectious disease caused by viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens, such as mycoplasmas. Individuals with pneumonia often have abnormal chest x-rays that show areas with fluid in the infected part of the lungs.

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pneumonia Cultural  

1. A disease characterized by inflammation of the lungs. Pneumonia can be caused by many factors, including bacterial infections, viral infections, and the inhalation of chemical irritants.

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Etymology

Origin of pneumonia

First recorded in 1595–1605; from New Latin, from Greek pneumonía; equivalent to pneumon- + -ia

Compare meaning

How does pneumonia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• atelectasis vs. pneumonia
• pleurisy vs. pneumonia
• ammonia vs. pneumonia

Explanation

Pneumonia is a lung infection that gives you a cough and a fever and generally makes it difficult to breathe. If you catch pneumonia, you may end up in the hospital. You've probably had people warn you not to go out in the rain without an umbrella or out in the cold without a hat or scarf because you’ll catch pneumonia. While they have your best interests in mind, you don’t actually get pneumonia from being cold or wet. Pneumonia is caused by viruses or bacteria. It’s a pretty common disease, but unfortunately it can be very serious in some cases, particularly in young children and elderly people.

Example Sentences

Doyle died of a heart attack in 1997 and Forsythe died of pneumonia in 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

"Individuals recovering from severe viral pneumonia, particularly those with smoking history, may benefit from enhanced lung cancer surveillance, and preventing severe infection through vaccination may confer indirect cancer protection benefits."

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

Officially, the buried children were listed as having died of tuberculosis, pneumonia, or exhaustion, between 1877 and 1939.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

She was admitted to hospital with pneumonia last April, but 10 months later was not allowed to return home.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

He didn’t think that the animal was suffering from pneumonia or a cold.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston