Word
meningitis
Phoneticsmenin·gi·tis
US/ˌmɛnənˈdʒaɪtəs/
UK/mˌɛnɪndʒˈaɪtɪs/
Definition
n. a serious illness where the thin layer of tissue covering your brain and spinal cord becomes swollen. It is often caused by a virus or bacteria and needs quick medical help.
n. inflammation of the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, typically caused by viral or bacterial infection.
Examples
“The doctor checked the child for symptoms of meningitis.”
“Health officials urged students to get vaccinated against meningitis before moving into shared university dormitories.”
“While viral meningitis is generally less severe, bacterial strains can cause rapid physiological decline and require immediate intravenous antibiotic treatment to prevent permanent neurological damage.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor checked the child for symptoms of meningitis.”
contextual
“Health officials urged students to get vaccinated against meningitis before moving into shared university dormitories.”
complex
“While viral meningitis is generally less severe, bacterial strains can cause rapid physiological decline and require immediate intravenous antibiotic treatment to prevent permanent neurological damage.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the disease; can be countable when referring to specific clinical cases or types.
Real-World Examples
“A million young people are being offered a free meningitis B vaccine.” “What are the symptoms of meningitis and how is it spread?” Etymology
From Ancient Greek μῆνῐγξ (mênĭnx) + -itis, equivalent to meninge + -itis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/meningitis