strep
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of strep
First recorded in 1930–35; by shortening
Explanation
Strep is a bacterium that can make you sick. If your throat is really sore and you're feeling feverish, you just might have strep throat — a condition caused by the strep bacterium. Strep is short for streptococcus, and because it's a bacterium, it can usually be treated with antibiotics. As a noun, the word refers to the microorganism itself, and when strep is an adjective, it describes conditions that are caused by the bacteria, like strep throat or strep pneumonia. An Austrian doctor coined the word streptococcus in the 1870s, from strepto-, "twisted" in Latin, and cocco-, "seed."
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.
At the medical facility, she was tested for strep, COVID-19 and influenza.
From Salon ● Jan. 20, 2026
"If you see spots at the back of your throat, that's definitely a sign that you've got strep throat and you might need some antibiotics," she adds.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2025
But in a pregnant patient, abdominal pain and vomiting should not be quickly attributed to strep, physicians told ProPublica; a doctor should have also evaluated her pregnancy.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2024
The British rock icon Rod Stewart canceled the planned 200th show of his long-running Las Vegas residency, citing strep throat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
“You’re positive for strep and mono. Only person I’ve seen in a month to get both.”
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
