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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 deal targets the prevention and treatment of HIV/Aids, malaria, and tuberculosis, maternal care, polio eradication and infectious disease outbreak response and preparedness.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2025

She’s smiling like she just discovered the cure for polio, the way she’s worked out a plan to win Miss Hilly over.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

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