pneumonia
noun
pneu·mo·nia nu̇-ˈmō-nyə 
nyu̇-
: an acute disease that is marked by inflammation of lung tissue accompanied by infiltration of alveoli and often bronchioles with white blood cells (such as neutrophils) and fibrinous exudate, is characterized by fever, chills, cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, chest pain, and reduced lung expansion, and is typically caused by an infectious agent (such as a bacterium, virus, or fungus) see bronchopneumonia, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia compare pneumonitis
Example Sentences
He caught pneumonia over the winter.
Recent Examples on the Web Shaw died Wednesday of pneumonia unrelated to COVID-19, his family said in a Thursday statement to CNN. 
Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 Shaw died Wednesday of pneumonia unrelated to COVID-19, according to their statement provided to CNN's former chief executive officer Tom Johnson, the network reported Thursday morning. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2022 The apparent mass on the diagnostic images had merely indicated a form of pneumonia. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 4 Sep. 2022 Yet, his older brother, Albert Victor, died of pneumonia. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 27 Aug. 2022 Ball’s brother, Abram, died shortly thereafter of pneumonia. Cody Delistraty, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by bacteria called Legionella that grow in warm water, the statement said. Maggie O'neill, SELF, 4 Aug. 2022 His father, a silk salesman, died of pneumonia when Scully was 7. Peter Weber, The Week, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 Shaw died Wednesday of pneumonia unrelated to COVID-19, according to their statement provided to CNN's former chief executive officer Tom Johnson, the network reported Thursday morning. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2022 The apparent mass on the diagnostic images had merely indicated a form of pneumonia. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 4 Sep. 2022 Yet, his older brother, Albert Victor, died of pneumonia. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 27 Aug. 2022 Ball’s brother, Abram, died shortly thereafter of pneumonia. Cody Delistraty, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by bacteria called Legionella that grow in warm water, the statement said. Maggie O'neill, SELF, 4 Aug. 2022 His father, a silk salesman, died of pneumonia when Scully was 7. Peter Weber, The Week, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Greek, from pneumōn lung, alteration of pleumōn — more at pulmonary
First Known Use
1603, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing pneumonia
Kids Definition
pneumonia
noun
pneu·mo·nia nu̇-ˈmō-nyə
nyu̇-ˈmō-
: a serious illness affecting the lungs that is marked especially by fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing
Medical Definition
pneumonia
noun
pneu·mo·nia n(y)u̇-ˈmō-nyə
: an acute disease that is marked by inflammation of lung tissue accompanied by infiltration of alveoli and often bronchioles with white blood cells (as neutrophils) and fibrinous exudate, is characterized by fever, chills, cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, chest pain, and reduced lung expansion, and is typically caused by an infectious agent (as a bacterium, virus, or fungus) see bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia