# diarrhea

/ˌdaɪɝˈiə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/diarrhea
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the illness

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

an illness that makes you go to the toilet more often than usual with watery waste.

For teachers: a medical condition or symptom involving frequent and liquid bowel movements. Uncountable in general reference, though countable when referring to specific instances or types.

- He stayed home from work because he had bad diarrhea and a fever.
- The doctor explained that severe diarrhea can lead to dangerous dehydration if the patient does not replenish fluids and electrolytes.

Usage: Usually used without an article when referring to the condition.

Teaching tip: This is the American spelling; the British spelling is 'diarrhoea'. Both are pronounced the same way.

## Examples

- The food poisoning gave him diarrhea.
- She took medicine to stop the diarrhea before her long flight.
- Travelers often experience temporary diarrhea due to changes in water quality and local bacteria.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.