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polio

American

[poh-lee-oh] / ˈpoʊ liˌoʊ /

noun

poliomyelitis.

polio British

/ ˈpəʊlɪəʊ /

noun

short for poliomyelitis

"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

Etymology

Origin of polio

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35; shortened form

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We no longer see devastating illnesses like polio and haemophilus meningitis in children, thanks to the effectiveness of herd immunity.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

In the end, only one Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a polio survivor, voted against Kennedy.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

As a historical counterweight, consider Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, who refused to patent it.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

The organisation pointed to its global efforts to combat polio, HIV aids, maternal mortality, and its international treaty on tobacco control.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

The polio had left him partially paralyzed in his neck and arms, with nerve damage that caused constant pain.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023