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.
A nurse practitioner ordered a test for strep throat, which came back positive, medical records show.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2024
Hawkins noted that Crain had strep and a urinary tract infection, wrote up a prescription and discharged her.
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
Sofia was treated for invasive strep A and ended up spending seven weeks at the hospital.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2023
I told her I’d seen a doctor, and that I had strep and mono.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
