Advertisement

Advertisement

Spanish flu

[ span-ish floo ]

noun

, Pathology.
  1. the pandemic strain of type A influenza that spread throughout the world during 1918–20: it is also referred to as the 1918 flu pandemic or 1918 influenza pandemic .


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Spanish flu1

First recorded in 1918; so called because wartime censorship in the major belligerent powers, particularly the U.S., Great Britain, Germany, and France, minimized early reports of illness and mortality among themselves but freely reported the effects of the pandemic in neutral Spain, leaving the impression that Spain was very hard hit by this flu
Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does Spanish flu compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Spanish daggerSpanish fly