tuberculosis

American  

[too-bur-kyuh-loh-sis, tyoo-] / tʊˌbɜr kjəˈloʊ sɪs, tjʊ- /

noun

Pathology.

tuberculoses plural

1. an infectious disease that may affect almost any tissue of the body, especially the lungs, caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and characterized by tubercles.

2. this disease when affecting the lungs; pulmonary phthisis; consumption.

3. any disease caused by a mycobacterium.

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tuberculosis British  

/ tjʊˌbɜːkjʊˈləʊsɪs /

noun

1. Also called: consumption.   phthisis.   TB.  a communicable disease caused by infection with the tubercle bacillus, most frequently affecting the lungs ( pulmonary tuberculosis )

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tuberculosis Scientific  

/ t-bûr′kyə-lō′sĭs /

1. An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is transmitted through inhalation and is characterized by cough, fever, shortness of breath, weight loss, and the appearance of inflammatory substances and tubercles in the lungs. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and can spread to other parts of the body, especially in people with weakened immune systems. Although the incidence of the disease has declined since the introduction of antibiotic treatment in the 1950's, it is still a major public-health problem throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa.

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tuberculosis Cultural  

1. An infectious disease caused by bacteria that mainly attack the lungs. The disease is characterized by the formation of patches, called tubercles, that appear in the lungs and, in later stages, the bones, joints, and other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is treated with combinations of antibiotics and is no longer considered a major health problem in industrialized countries. It was formerly called consumption.

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Discover More

Years ago, tuberculosis (consumption) was a major killer; it often figures in literature and drama.

In recent years, the incidence of tuberculosis has been on the increase in the United States, particularly in large cities, mainly because the strains of the bacterium have developed resistance to antibiotics.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antituberculosis
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tuberculoses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tuberculosis

First recorded in 1855–60; from New Latin tūberculōsis; see tubercle, -osis

Explanation

Tuberculosis is a contagious and deadly disease. It mainly affects the lungs, but it can spread to the rest of the body. When a character from 19th century literature coughs into a blood-speckled hanky, tuberculosis is often to blame. Tuberculosis — often called TB — is a serious disease that is now rare. Whew. When someone catches tuberculosis, which is transmitted by tubercle-bacillus through the air, lesions called tubercles grow in the lungs, causing serious health problems. If not treated, the disease can spread throughout the body. TB shows up in a lot of old literature and operas – the Romantic poet John Keats wrote poems about TB and died at age 25 from the disease.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tuberculosis tuberculoses

She shared how Martin was without parents from a young age and was "sent alone to a sanatorium in London for two years" after being diagnosed with tuberculosis.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

That work has helped develop new vaccines for meningitis and malaria, a new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis, and tools to improve women’s health.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

"Early reports linked smoking to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, followed by cardiovascular disease, stroke and lung cancer," A/Prof Sitas says.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

People in Mongbwalu are used to outbreaks of tuberculosis and malaria, the initial symptoms of which are similar to those of Ebola, but both of which are much more treatable.

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026

Under military rule, the number of people with chronic malnutrition, tuberculosis, and measles jumped dramatically.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Now it has at last been understood that there are slight tuberculoses, curable, but tremendously frequent.

From A Psychiatric Milestone Bloomingdale Hospital Centenary, 1821-1921 by New York Hospital. Society

We have a pseudo-bacillosis of a strepto bacillar origin, not to mention the "professional" tuberculoses, such as that to which persons are exposed who have to breathe the fumes of charcoal.

From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Anshutz, Edward Pollock