pneumonic plague

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a form of plague characterized by lung involvement.

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Etymology

Origin of pneumonic plague

First recorded in 1895–1900

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Compare meaning

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

• pneumonic plague vs. bubonic plague

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pneumonic plague

There are roughly 1,000 to 2,000 annual cases worldwide, with only a few in the U.S.; last year, a young man died of pneumonic plague in Arizona.

From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026

Plague is a bacterial disease that can occur in several forms, including pneumonic plague, the most contagious type, which can spread through respiratory droplets.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

According to the WHO, pneumonic plague has a very short incubation period - sometimes just 24 hours - and can be fatal, if not diagnosed and treated early.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Schwartz faces a number of challenges in her first months as director, as her agency confronts staff cuts, measles outbreaks and a potential pneumonic plague case in Russia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The more fatal form is known as pneumonic plague, and in this the lungs are the seat of the disease.

From Disease and Its Causes by William Thomas Councilman

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